The presidential race is just one of dozens on the ballot this November. The House and Senate are up for grabs, and there are local elections for everything from school boards to judges. Your vote is likely to make a difference at these levels, and the results are more likely to affect your life directly. Don’t wait until election day to sort it all out.




While presidential news has a way of finding you whether you want it or not, local elections require some effort to stay on top of. Here are a few ways to find out what’s on your ballot, and figure out who to vote for.

Find Out What’s On Your Local Ballot


It also means there isn’t really one central database you can check to find out who’s running for what. Happily, there are a few sites that can give you an overview.



These services offer a great starting point, but there’s always a chance that there’ll be a few things on your ballot that aren’t on either site. The best place to check is in the paper voter’s guides your local voting authority sends out in the lead-up to the election, usually in October. These books are basically paper copies of the information offered by the sites above, but tend to be more complete and up-to-date.


Even then, there’s a chance something on your ballot won’t be in the guide. For this reason, it’s a great idea to register to vote early or absentee, so that you can see your entire ballot at home and research everything before deciding.

Learn More About Local Candidates


Your ballot will feature all kinds of names that, depending on your media diet, you might not be familiar with. With a little research, you can get a feel for where these politicians stand on the issues that matter most to you. Here are a few places to start your research:



Official websites for local politicians almost always include a list of policy positions. Reading these is a great way to get a general feel for what a politician stands for, and what they will try to accomplish if elected.

almost always include a list of policy positions. Reading these is a great way to get a general feel for what a politician stands for, and what they will try to accomplish if elected. Social media is another great way to see where candidates stand. Scroll through Facebook or Twitter timelines to get a sense for a candidate’s responses to recent news stories and events. You could even follow politicians to get regular updates from their point of view, but this isn’t necessary.

is another great way to see where candidates stand. Scroll through Facebook or Twitter timelines to get a sense for a candidate’s responses to recent news stories and events. You could even follow politicians to get regular updates from their point of view, but this isn’t necessary. A quick Google News search for a local candidate is another way to learn what public statements a candidate has made.


These are all quick ways to get a general sense of where candidates stand on the issues. If you have more time, consider a few of these apps and web sites to help you do a little more digging.


Keep Up With Your Local Races


Of course, a lot can change between now and November, so you’re going to want to keep up with what’s happening in your local races, or newly approved ballot initiatives that show up late. National media outlets likely won’t cover local races outside of the occasional article that will likely relate them to the presidential race, so if you’re curious about controversies or any twists and turns the race may take, you’re on your own.



Find a few local media outlets and start checking their websites regularly. Newspapers are good first idea, but your local TV and radio stations might also offer relevant information.


If you can’t (or won’t) stomach local media sites regularly, consider finding a couple of journalists who cover local politics and following them on Twitter or Facebook. Tune in to your local news once or twice, and they’ll probably flash their Twitter handles on-screen, or you can visit the local news network’s web site and find them there. This way you’ll only get periodic updates about what’s happening in the campaigns, and occasional links to articles, and you won’t have to subject yourself to the nightly news.

It makes sense that the national media focuses on presidential politics: it’s important, and the one thing everyone in the country gets to vote on. But it’s easy to feel like those politicians are distant figures who have very little to do with your day-to-day life. Local elections are different. Take the time to inform yourself about the rest of your ballot, and you’ll feel better about politics — and possibly learn a lot about your community in the process.

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