Quickly Understand Complex Voting Initiatives in Your State Using This Site
For some reason this year, political groups in California decided it would be a good idea to send people text messages asking them to vote one way or another. This means that every day I get at least two (but most likely ten) messages on my phone from people I don’t know asking to support a ballot or a candidate, each of which provides enough detail to make them think that I’ll be on the side. them, without pointing out some of the sticky sides of the initiative that might have led me to consider opposition instead.
If the last few years have taught us nothing as a nation, it is that we should all not only vote, but also know what we are voting for. With all the information available, figuring out what each bulletin item means can be a daunting task.
The Vote to Save America has created ballot clarifiers in every state that could potentially make this research a little easier. To find out which ones are in your area, just go to the site and enter your address.
If you’re new to politics, the site will briefly explain what each position people are applying for actually does. For example, here’s an explanation from the U.S. House of Representatives:
Where the site really shines is on the ballots. We have 12 of them on the California November ballot covering everything from housing programs to daylight saving time.
For each measure, the site gives you a “deep dive”, which is really just a few paragraphs about what the measure actually is, and then explains who supports it and who is against it. It also explains very simply what your “yes” or “no” vote means.
For example, here’s what it says in super-simple terms about California’s Proposition 10 vote, which allows local governments in all states to impose rent controls on homes, condos, new condos, and vacant units.
On the site, you can decide how you want to vote in each race and virtually click the field. When you’re done, you can print out everything you “voted for” and take this sheet with you to the polling stations.
Using the site does not replace your own deep dive into political candidates and issues (which you should definitely do), but if you are looking for a little clarification on some of the more challenging initiatives in your newsletter, this might be a decent place to start.