Voting Resources

I should have posted this several weeks ago, but better late than never.

"The biggest argument against democracy is a five minute discussion with the average voter." -Winston Churchill

Inform yourself. These sites provide information on candidates, ballot proposals, the issues, and voting procedures.

Project Vote Smart
http://www.vote-smart.org/
Research your candidates at this site, including:

• Biographical Information
• Campaign Finances (find out who's paying for their campaign)
• Issue Stances from NPAT Survey (some candidates are too weak to make their stances known)
• Interest Group Ratings (certain interest groups rate the candidates)
• Voting Records
• Public Statements

citizenJoe
http://www.citizenjoe.org/
Research the issues at this site. I haven't checked it out too much, but it claims to be "the friendly, smart antidote to partisanship and spin. A multi-partisan organization - with conservatives, liberals and everything in between - cJ promotes open, fact-based dialogue both online and off."

Vote411 (from the League of Women Voters)
http://www.vote411.org/
Information on election procedures, candidates, and ballot proposals. The League is a well-respected organization.

Michigan Voter Information Center
http://www.michigan.gov/vote
Michigan voters can see if they're registered, find their polling location, preview their ballot, etc.

Share this information with interested friends, family, and colleagues.

"It has been said that democracy is the worst form of government except all those other forms that have been tried from time to time." -Winston Churchill