POLICY CIRCLE BRIEF

Assessing Candidate Guide

Educating yourself and others on candidates' policies allows you to assess government leaders and make a meaningful impact on your community and country.

Introduction

As an American citizen, your duty is to properly assess those in government leadership and how they affect your community. Your voice and your vote matter. Our elections depend upon the participation of every citizen, including you. Reading up on candidates and helping educate those around you on their policies is an important step in political participation. It allows you to make a difference in your community and country by casting a well-informed vote.

Consideration Process

Researching and analyzing candidates is often not a quick process. You will need to invest considerable time and energy to collect the information you need to make an informed decision. This guide is designed to provide a structure and resources to make the investigation easier and help you make decisions. This section will do just that by taking you through a series of thoughtful steps.

ESTABLISH CRITERIA

Before researching, it is important to consider what you want from a candidate. We recommend writing down a list of your priorities and any non-negotiable issue positions.

The first step is to decide on what basis you will evaluate a candidate. Policy priorities and voting are personal decisions that affect what criteria each person chooses. Thus, each person will have different priorities and criteria.

There are two categories that will consistently help you discern how to vote – leadership experience and issue positions. First, consider the role the candidate is running for and what skills are needed to perform well. Then, investigate the candidate’s background to see if they have the necessary experience and skills. Further, does their experience show that they can collaborate with others, have strong leadership skills, and have strong problem-solving skills.

Next is to consider what the candidate’s stances on specific issues. Consider what issues are most important to you and prioritize them. Prepare to track and compare candidate stances to help you make decisions.

IDENTIFY YOUR OPTIONS

Once you have a framework, you need to identify the candidates you will vote for.

These resources will use your address to pull up a list of federal, state, and local elections that are happening in your area and the candidates that are running:

Ballotpedia: Look up your local ballots and upcoming votes, provides resources to help you research your candidate’s positions.
Vote.org: Look up ballot, registration, and other election information.
BallotReady: Look up ballot guides, election locations, and more.
U.S. Vote Foundation: Look up your registration and election information.

RESEARCH

Once you have identified who is running in your area, you can research their party affiliation, policy stances, skills, and experience. Use your list of priorities from the previous step to track candidate stances to help decide.

Key facts to research about a candidate include voting records, previous government service, and endorsements that they have received. One of the best ways to understand what a candidate stands for is to visit their website. Do a quick news search to see what articles have been written about the candidates from various outlets. Check where the candidate stands in their party – do they align with the platform or do they differ? Identify where they diverge and ask what their thoughts on the issue are.

For federal elections, see this list of resources and points to research, and check the candidate’s voting record here.

Ballot guides are a great way to understand a candidate’s alignment. Nearly every issue has a national organization that follows it and produces a guide on their topic(s) of interest. These guides can be helpful as they break down the issues from tangled legalese into language for the average voter. Depending on your interests – taxes, crony capitalism, healthcare policy, etc. – you can search for ballot guides on those issues from reputable organizations.

Campaign finances and endorsements can be a strong indicator of a candidate’s position on issues. All candidates are required to report donations to the Federal Election Commission – you can look up candidates here and see their finances. See The Policy Circle’s Campaign Finance Deep Dive for more resources and guidance on the intricacies of this topic.

CONNECT AND FOLLOW UP

Once you have a little background on a candidate, you may want to ask them questions to better understand who they are and what they stand for. For example, consider asking:

Why are you running?
What is the best system for citizens to create a future for themselves and their families?
What should the role of government, or the government agency they are running for, be?
What is your view on _____, _____, and ________? (Don’t be afraid to ask about the most pressing issues in your state, such as debt, pension, or infrastructure).
How will you work with your colleagues in the office?

Likewise, ask prospective candidates about their stances on specific issues that interest you.

CONSIDER AND WEIGH OPTIONS

Now that you have amassed information on your elections and candidates, it’s time to dissect and analyze the data. Make a note of your first impressions, then be sure to go back to your criteria and see which candidate most represents your priorities. Writing down your criteria and scoring each candidate according to their platform may be helpful.

ENGAGE WITH YOUR COMMUNITY

Community is a strong asset – be sure to use it when making your final decisions. By conversing with people around you, you can encourage them to participate in the political process and receive valuable feedback. If you are stuck, see the Introduction to The Policy Circle to learn how we structure our Circles and conversations. Also, see our tips for having impossible conversations and how we suggest structuring your policy discussions.

VOTE

Be sure to take note of who you have decided to vote for! Sample ballots are valuable tools for recording your decisions. Be sure that when you go to vote, you have hard copies of anything you need to remember your chosen candidates. Some voting restrictions may not allow you to use your cell phone while voting.

Getting Involved

First, be sure to vote! The Policy Circle’s First-Time Voter Handbook explains the process and what to expect. After voting, be sure to review The Policy Circle’s Active Voter Guide for more ways to be involved in the process.

Aside from being an active voter, here are other ways you can engage in the electoral process:

Become a poll watcher or judge on election day to ensure that election rules are followed.
Engage with candidates in a larger setting:
- Invite a political candidate to a circle meeting (one candidate at a time)
- Invite a political candidate to your place of business
- Attend a candidate meet and greet
- Ask a local candidate to meet for coffee
Join a campaign team; in addition to contributing, you can knock on doors, make calls, or reach out to your friends to explain your candidate’s platform, etc. Good candidates need a strong team to support them.
Make your voice heard. Write your local paper about your preferences by submitting an op-ed or a letter to the editor. For assistance, see The Policy Circle’s Guide to Writing an Op-Ed.
Once your candidate is elected, step up to help them serve and look into opportunities to join their team.