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Be an Educated Voter: Get to Know Candidates with I Vote My Vote

In the past it was easier to be an educated voter. Many highly respected print media outlets (remember newspapers?) would editorialize an opinion to urge voters to support the candidates of their choice. The fact that those pieces appeared on the editorial pages, often accompanied by an opposing view (an ‘op-ed’), was a clear indication that these were the opinions of the newspaper publisher and the editorial staff. While their endorsements were opinions, newspapers usually did a fairly good job of laying out their reasons for supporting or opposing a particular candidate. The readers could also take the time to consider and weigh these opinions. In recent times things have become much different.

Newspapers are almost a thing of the past. They still exist, though usually much smaller and much more expensive. Subscribers for the printed papers are disappearing having been replaced by subscribers to the online version of the papers, if they are replaced at all. Though newspapers’ online offerings are becoming more popular, most people and a vastly larger segment of the younger generations find their news in free online services or even social media. According to the Pew Research Center in 2023 58% of US adults got their news from digital media, 27% from television, 6% from radio and only 5% from printed publications.1 The younger generations for the most part get their news from social media platforms. It is frightening to learn that Gen Z adults usually get their news from Tik Tok. Adults under age 30 spend a great deal of time cruising Tik Tok for the latest on the hottest celebrities and then may view a piece that purports to be current news.2 The problem that many face getting their news from social media sites is the fact that the news may be real or it may not be. A 2022 study from Capitol Technology University found that “roughly a fifth of TikTok videos contain misinformation.”3

Here at I Vote My Vote we want to help you to be an educated voter so that you can confidently determine which candidates to vote for and support to stop the spiral of deterioration wherein we find ourselves. We want to provide resources so that you can know how to research candidates and political parties. To that end we offer these suggestions:

  • It is essential that the voter determines what issues are important in an upcoming election. It may be necessary to also determine which of these issues are the most important and which are less so. Read the ‘Blogs’ and ‘Issues’ pages on the I Vote My Vote website. These can give you insight into the most important issues facing our country.
  • Get to know who the candidates are and for what elected positions they are seeking. As I Vote My Vote grows, we can increasingly provide this information for you. We provide opportunities for the candidates to tell the voters about themselves.
  • Identify the candidates that are familiar to you; you may know what they have done and what policies they support. Determine if these candidates can still receive your vote and that they have not changed in any significant ways. I Vote My Vote can help the voter see if a candidate has changed positions on the issues in any significant way.
  • Look for information on the candidates. You can find this from their own campaign literature, from media reports, from their endorsements and from recorded speeches they have made.
  • Subscribe to I Vote My Vote with only $5 and make it your first resource to learn about the candidates.
  • Assess the candidates’ views and activities regarding the issues that you have identified as being important. Let your subscription to I Vote My Vote work for you to become an educated voter.

A subscription to I Vote My Vote can be your most valuable resource to help you change our great country for the better. After you have done your homework then perform your duty as a citizen of this great country. Vote!

 

  1. News Platform Fact Sheet. (2023). Pew Research Center. Retrieved from https://www.pewresearch.org/journalism/fact-sheet/news-platform-fact-sheet/
  2. TikTok and the War on Misinformation. (2023). Capitol Technology University. Retrieved from https://www.captechu.edu/blog/tiktok-and-war-misinformation

 

1. Q: Why is it necessary to be an educated voter?

Ans: Being an educated voter helps you to take informed decisions that can align with the values and priorities. It also makes sures that the candidates you support are best suited to address the issues you are looking forward to getting resolved.  

2. Q: How has the landscape of obtaining news and information changed for voters? 

Ans: Traditionally, newspapers provided editorial opinions and detailed coverage of candidates. However, with the decline of print media, many now turn to digital sources and social media for news. This shift introduces challenges such as misinformation.

3. Q: Where can I find reliable information about candidates and their policies? 

Ans: I Vote My Vote offers resources to help you research candidates and political parties effectively. Our platform compiles information from various sources including candidates’ own statements, media reports, endorsements, and recorded speeches. 

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