Resources for Voters

Here are some tools, resources, and information that you may find helpful when preparing to vote. This information can help you better prepare yourself and ensure you are making well informed decisions about who you're voting for and when.

Below are some categories that might help you figure out where you are in the process.

If you are unsure where you are, feel free to download our Voter Checklist and visit our Prepare to Vote webpage that will walk you through the whole process step by step.

Research Candidates

Voter Guides provide information about a candidate running for office. They include information such as political party affiliation, education and work history, where they stand on certain issues/ topics and past voting history.

Here are some voter guides that you can use to learn about the candidates to decide who you want to vote for.

BallotPedia --- https://ballotpedia.org/Sample_Ballot_Lookup

Vote Smart --- https://justfacts.votesmart.org

Guides.vote --- https://guides.vote

Vote411 --- https://www.vote411.org/ballot

Ballot Ready --- https://www.ballotready.org

ActiVote --- https://acti.vote/YoungGensVote

The ActiVote app helps to educate voters on important issues, connect them with their elected representatives, show their officials’ voting history, tells you when to vote and who’s running for office, and so much more.

The ActiVote app is free, nonpartisan and available for download on the Google Play and the App Store.

Click here to get ActiVote --- https://acti.vote/YoungGensVote

ActiVote

Webiste --- www.activote.net

Instagram --- www.instagram.com/ActiVoteUS

Facebook --- www.facebook.com/ActiVoteUS

YouTube --- @ActiVoteUS

Twitter --- www.twitter.com/ActiVoteUS

LinkedIn --- ActiVote

The political party affiliation of a candidate is extremely important when it comes to choosing who to vote for. Not only does it provide some indication of where the candidate may stand on certain topics/ issues, but it also is important when determining who has "control" of the government for what party is in the majority and what party is in the minority.

You can click here to get a quick overview of the major differences between the Democratic Party and the Republican Party (the two major political parties in the United States) .

You should definitely visit the two parties’ websites and social media accounts to better learn about what the party is all about and where it stands on issues/ topics that are important to you.

Be sure to also check out what party leaders and the prominent members of the party are saying and doing in person, online and in office to also get an idea of where the party stands and what it prioritizes.

The Democratic Party (aka the Democrats):

The Party Itself:

House Democrats:

Senate Democrats:

The Republican Party (aka the GOP):

The Party Itself:

House Republicans:

Senate Republicans:

Party Leadership:

House of Representatives Leadership: https://www.house.gov/leadership

Committee Assignments in the House: https://www.house.gov/committees

Senate Leadership: https://www.senate.gov/senators/leadership.htm

Committee Assignments in the Senate: https://www.senate.gov/committees/index.htm

It can be hard sometimes to decide what candidates you want to vote for, especially if you are new to voting and don't really follow what's going on in the government.

Here is some non-partisan advice that can help you know where to start when it comes to figuring out who you want to vote for.

Legal Defense Fund --- https://www.naacpldf.org/research-candidates-state-local-elections/

Rock the Vote --- https://www.rockthevote.org/explainers/how-to-research-your-ballot/

Simple Civics --- https://www.pbs.org/video/how-do-you-research-candidates-vqol2j/

League of Women Voters of Newton --- https://lwvnewton.org/voters-service/how-to-pick-a-candidate/

Here are some things that you should think about when choosing who you want to vote for.

Do they have similar values as you do?
- Do they care about the same issues and topics that you do?
- Do they have similar views, opinions, and feelings on those topics and issues?
Look at their past actions.
- See how the candidate acted before they were in office, or what they did with their previous terms in office.
  - Examples: how they voted, bills/ laws they supported, opposed and proposed, etc.
- Is there any controversy surrounding the candidate for something they’ve said/ done in the past?
  - What did they do, who did it affect and how do you feel about it?
Are you stuck with two options you don’t like?
- Which is the lesser evil?
  - Who is closer to you in values and opinions?
  - Who do you dislike the most and or who do you think would be the worst option to have between the two? Hint: Don’t vote for the worst one.

Learn About the Issues

The Poliquicks app helps to educate voters on important issues. The app will list the issues, the areas within the topic and a quick, general summary of the opposing sides. Poliquicks is a nonpartisan political education app that uses objective data sources to provide the most transparent, accurate, and up-to-date information about your local reps, elections, and legislative actions.

The Poliquicks app is free, nonpartisan and available for download on Google Play and the App Store.

Click here to get Poliquciks on Google Play --- Poliquicks - Apps on Google Play

Click here to get Poliquciks on the App Store --- Poliquicks on the App Store

Poliquicks

Webiste --- www.poliquicks.com

Instagram --- www.instagram.com/poliquicks.app

LinkedIn --- Poliquicks

Do you ever feel like you don't know enough about the issues, or what's going on, to vote? You are not the only one, there are lots of issues that are at play in any given election- whether it's a federal, state or local election. It can be hard to keep up and discern fact from fiction, especially in the age of misinformation.

Here are some resources that you can use to learn about the issues that are discussed in many, if not all, elections.

Poliquicks --- https://www.poliquicks.com

Brittanica's Pros & Cons --- https://www.britannica.com/procon

All Sides --- https://www.allsides.com/topics-issues

FactCheck.org --- https://www.factcheck.org

Gallup (Polling Info & Trends) --- https://news.gallup.com/poll/trends.aspx

Voter ID & VoteRiders

In many states you need an ID with you in order to be able to vote, and some of these states make it harder then others to meet this ID requirement. Some first time voters are also required to show ID when they go to the polls.

You can get help from Vote Riders if you are having trouble getting an ID or are unsure what method(s) of identification you need to vote in your state.

Find Out What ID You Need to Vote:

VoteRiders --- www.voteriders.org/staterules

VoteRiders

VoteRiders is a national, non-partisan, non-profit organization with the mission to ensure that all citizens are able to vote. They work to inform and help people by assisting them in securing the identification required to vote.

Webiste --- www.voteriders.org

Call or Text: 866ID-2-VOTE
Chatbot: SMS or Facebook Messenger
Social Media:
- Instagram: @VoteRiders
- Facebook: VoteRiders
- Twitter: @VoteRiders
- LinkedIn: VoteRiders

Specific Information For:

Dates & Deadlines

Never miss an election, or a deadline you need to meet. Use the tool below to find out when you should be voting and the deadlines you need to meet to register, request your ballot and to ensure your vote gets counted.

The U.S. Vote Foundation’s "Election Dates & Deadlines" tool will tell you:

Your voter registration deadline
When you need to request and return your absentee/ mail-in ballot by
When early voting is (if your state does early voting)

U.S. Vote Foundation --- https://www.usvotefoundation.org/state-election-dates-and-deadlines

Know Your Rights

Be sure to know what rights you have before you go to the polls to vote. Unfortunately there are people that will cause problems for you, make voting harder and outright refuse to let you vote. You have rights at the polls, which afford you options to ensure you are able to vote. Make sure you know what they are.

Contact the Election Protection Hotline if you encounter any problems when you go to vote.

Know Your Voting Rights

ACLU --- https://www.aclu.org/know-your-rights/voting-rights

Sometimes there are people at polling sites that try to stop others from voting, or they make the process harder and more confusing in an effort to deter people from voting.

If anyone is giving you a hard time, harasses you at the polls, prevents you from voting or says you cannot vote, contact the Election Protection Hotline.

Election Protection Hotline

Webiste --- https://866ourvote.org/

The Election Protection Hotline is a national, non-partisan coalition to defend, protect and advance the right to vote for everyone. They have resources for everyone in the United States to use to ensure that their vote is counted.

Call or Text: 866-687-8683 (866-OUR-VOTE)
Social Media:
Hotlines:
- English: 866-687-8683 (866-OUR-VOTE)
- Spanish: 888-839-8682
- Arabic: 844-925-5287
- Bengali, Cantonese, Hindi, Urdu, Korean, Mandarin, Tagalog or Vietnamese: 888-274-8683

It can be hard to navigate voting as a college student, especially because you have the right to choose where you want to vote. As a college student, you can choose to vote where you go to school or where you live when class is not in session, but you can only do one or the other- not both.

Here are some resources that can help you navigate voting as a college student, especially if you are voting when you are away from home and need to cast your vote by mail or by using an absentee ballot.

Campus Vote Project --- https://campusvoteproject.org/state-student-voting-guides/

VoteRiders --- https://www.voteriders.org/student/

Vote.gov --- https://vote.gov/guide-to-voting/college-student

It can be hard to navigate voting with a disability especially if you live in certain states, but the good news is that there are laws and protections in place to help make the process as easy for you as possible.

Here are some resources that can help you navigate voting with a disability and to know what rights you have and the options that are available to you.

U.S. Vote Foundation --- https://www.usvotefoundation.org/disabled-voter-guide

Vote.gov --- https://vote.gov/guide-to-voting/disability

USA.gov --- https://www.usa.gov/voter-accessibility-laws

VoteRiders --- https://www.voteriders.org/disability/

Have Questions?

Do you have questions about voting or the process leading up to it? Don’t be embarrassed, many people do and it’s because school doesn’t properly teach us and people purposefully make the voting process confusing. In the age of misinformation, it’s not always easy to find reliable, accurate and unbiased information that is up to date with any recent changes.

If you have questions, you have a few options on who you can contact to get them answered:

1. Your state's Board/ Office of Elections or the Secretary of State's Office.

2. Your county's Board/ Office of Elections.

3. Ask the U.S. Vote Foundation

Ask Your Question(s) --- https://voterhelpdesk.usvotefoundation.org/en/support/tickets/new

Common Questions --- https://voterhelpdesk.usvotefoundation.org/en/support/solutions

4. Ask Ballotpedia

Ask Your Question(s) --- editor@ballotpedia.org

Common Questions --- https://ballotpedia.org/Ballotpedia%27s_2024_Election_Help_Desk

The words and phrases used to describe elections, voting and politics are not always easy to understand, especially when it's not taught properly in school. Use the resources below to find out what the terms mean from trusted sources.

U.S. Election Assistance Commission (EAC) ----www.eac.gov/sites/default/files/glossary_files/Glossary_of_Election_Terms_EAC.pdf

(Translated) U.S. Election Assistance Commission----www.eac.gov/election-officials/glossaries-election-terminology

U.S. Vote Foundation ---https://voterhelpdesk.usvotefoundation.org/en/support/solutions/folders/151000337509

Were you not taught about the government in school (or at least not taught it well), do you just have questions you want answered, or do you just want to learn more about how our government works?

Here are some resources you can use to learn more and get better educated on civics and government topics.

Rock the Vote's Democracy Explainers --- www.rockthevote.org/explainers/

Khan Academy's Government and Civics Courses:
- AP US Government & Politics: www.khanacademy.org/humanities/ap-us-government-and-politics
- US Government and Civics: www.khanacademy.org/humanities/us-government-and-civics

Crash Course's lessons --- www.thecrashcourse.com/topic/usgovernment/

Annenberg Classroom --- www.annenbergclassroom.org/explore/

Election Results

If you want to find out who won an election you have several options available to you, you can visit the website of your Secretary of State, your state's board of elections website (if it has one), your county office/ board of elections website, and even different news stations- be it local, state, or national.

Here is a resource that can help you view the election results in your state.

Federal Election Commission --- https://www.fec.gov/introduction-campaign-finance/how-to-research-public-records/state-election-offices/

Contact Them

Do you have questions or want to learn more about elections happening in your county or state? Do you need help preparing for an upcoming election? Have other questions, or problems, that you need help with? Contact your county's board/ office of elections to get the information that you need.

Get answers and information by contacting your county's board/ office of elections.

Contact Your Local Board/ Office of Elections --- https://www.usvotefoundation.org/election-offices

Do you know who your elected officials are? Do you know the people that represents you in Congress or in local offices? It's easy for you to find out who those people are, represent and make decisions for you at the local, state and federal level.

Click below to find out who your elected officials are, their social media, and how you can contact them.

USA.gov--- https://www.usa.gov/elected-officials

Alerts & Reminders

If you don't want to pre-register to vote or are unable to do so, you can sign up to get reminded to register to vote on your 18th birthday. Fill out the form below, that's curtsey of Vote.org, so you can get your reminder to register to vote.

Track Legislation & Your Representative's Actions

Keep up to date with what your representatives in the government, and all legislators, are doing in office, things like what they are voting for/ against, what bills have been introduced, the status of bills and things like that.

Here are some resources that you can use to stay up to date and see what your elected officials are doing.