Isn’t it exciting that the Keystone State will finally play a starring role in the selection of our next U.S. president? On April 22nd, all eyes will be upon us. You, Responsible Pennsylvanians, hold great power in your hands. And as Spiderman’s Uncle Ben said, “With great power comes great responsibility.”
How can you become a more informed voter? I did a little digging to connect you with a few trustworthy resources to help you separate the wheat from the chaff; the facts from the baloney; the good guys from the bad guys.
First of all, are you registered to vote? If not, The League of Women Voters website has an online voter registration tool (in English and Spanish) and all kinds of information for voters including answers to basic questions like “What is a primary?” and “What is a caucus?” It also has a Voter Information page with poll locations, requirements for voting in each state, and frequently asked questions about registration and voting.
Are you feeling a little confused by the cacophonous assertions of talk radio hosts and vicious attack ads? Don’t know who to believe? Here are a couple of websites that will help you dig through the misrepresentations to find the truth. According to its website, FactCheck.org is a “nonpartisan, nonprofit, ‘consumer advocate’ for voters that aims to reduce the level of deception and confusion in U.S. politics.” MediaMatters.org is another non-profit research organization. According to its website, Media Matters “works daily to notify activists, journalists, pundits, and the general public about instances of misinformation, providing them with the resources to rebut false claims and to take direct action against offending media institutions.”
Want to find out about specific candidates? Project Vote Smart has biographical information, voting records, issue positions and much, much more on local, state, and national candidates. If you are feeling partisan (and who isn’t?), you can visit the candidates’ sites: HillaryClinton.com, BarackObama.com, JohnMcCain.com, or the parties’ sites: Republican National Committee, Democrats.org, or The Green Party of the United States.
And with your help, may the best candidate win!
–Bonnie
Eleventh Stack 