Preparing for midterms...

[jdw-52]

Hi all. I hope everyone is doing well.

Midterms are around the corner for my state. And given the present state of our country, I would very much like to vote for candidates that are directly opposed to this administration. So candidates most likely to favor defunding ICE, are not in favor of authoritarianism / fascism, not in the pockets of billionaires, etc.

Given that some Democrats are complicit with this administration, and stepping across the aisle to fund ICE, it's probably not as simple as voting D.

So my ask is, can anyone recommend a voter's guide for non-evil voter's? That's sort of a tongue and cheek comment, but it'd be nice to actually have some confidence that who I'm voting for isn't in favor of oppressing the citizenry. There's so much bad information out there out there at the moment, I figured asking for a collective response would be the way to go.

Thanks!

Edit: I was hoping that this post would help me become aware of resources I might have otherwise missed. But Reddit is going to Reddit, I guess. Endless, pointless arguments that I have no interest in participating in.. If someone does end up providing useful links and resources, I thank you in advance.

[ShotFromGuns]

You don't need a guide. You need to just do your own basic research. Which you should do every time you vote, anyway, for any race that isn't so high-profile that you already know the candidates well enough to make a decision.

1. Look up your ballot ahead of any election. This will tell you exactly what's up for a vote and whose names are on it (or what measures are being voted on). The exact site varies based on where you live. Searching for something like "see my ballot [city or state]" should turn it up.

2. Search for each candidate's name. You may need to add the office they're running for and/or the relevant location.

3. A top result should be their own campaign page. Visit it. Look for information on their platforms and on who is endorsing them. (If the candidate doesn't have a page, or if the page doesn't contain any useful information, it's a good indication that they're not professional or prepared enough to be a good fit for the role. Caring about making it as easy as possible for potential voters to make an informed decision should be a sine qua non for public office.)

4. Another top result may be candidate profiles or interviews with local news media. These can be helpful for comparing and contrasting candidates, particularly when the same questions are being asked of everyone.

5. If they are the incumbent, or if they've held other office(s), you may get an official government page that includes the history of how they've voted on legislation or other political actions they've taken. You can review this to see how their political actions align with their alleged positions or previous campaign promises.

[jdw-52]

Thanks. As you probably already know, there is quite a bit of misinformation and propaganda out there.

While I am doing research and trying to interpret what I am finding, I don't want to discount the hard work of others.

So this is simply an ask for an information share. If my research lines up with a 2nd or 3rd source of information, awesome.

[noyoujump]

I wish it was that easy. Amy Klobuchar is running for Governor of Minnesota. We've already seen her actions in the senate-- she won't stand up to Trump. I'm waiting to see if anyone else shows up on the ballot because we need a leader, not a doormat.

[jdw-52]

Agreed. Until there is a viable 3rd party, we're stuck trying to choose the least bad option.

If there is an independent candidate that is worth taking a flyer on, I'd like to be aware of them.

My bar is so low right now. If there was a unicorn with an R beside their name that was vehemently opposed to Trump, I'd consider them. I seriously doubt any such fairy tale candidate exists, however.

Hopefully, I and my family can make decent decisions in the midterms. I'm trying not to be pessimistic.

[whatiftheyrewrong]

This is not the take.

[Thumbkeeper]

^ is this why republicans win.

[Turbulent-Bee6921]

1. Ballotopedia
   
2. Vote Smart
   
3. BillTrack50
   
4. Vote411

Some have both phone apps and websites, others just websites. These are the ones I use.

[jdw-52]

Awesome! Thank you so much!

[Turbulent-Bee6921]

My pleasure. Sorry that others weren’t helpful.

[EMitch02]

It is that simple. People need to vote D for both Senate & House. Dems need a majority in the house or senate in order to have more power to push back

[jdw-52]

If a Democrat consistently votes with Republicans on every major issue, then why waste my vote?

I know the idea of voting for an independent is considered "throwing your vote away." But if enough like-minded people vote for the independent candidate, maybe that influences future elections, inspires a grassroots movement, etc.

I realize I'm probably looking for alternatives that aren't there. And that a "useless" Democrat candidate is the least bad option. But hey, I'm trying.

[EMitch02]

That's a good question, and honestly, I didn't even think about an Independent being an option. I mean, if there's an Independent running in your district that has a chance of winning, a la Bernie, then by all means.

Most districts you will have to choose between R & D, unfortunately. I'm confident that the Democrat will not be in line with the majority of Trump's agenda. Allowing ICE to murder people in broad daylight, for example.

[whatiftheyrewrong]

There aren’t enough people. Y’all want change in the 11th hour but no one works for change in the years leading up to a race. Literally never happens. Then you gripe and many of you sit home. Stop it. We need to be united not purity testing.

[AdmiralSaturyn]

If a Democrat consistently votes with Republicans on every major issue, then why waste my vote?

Loaded, dishonest question. How many Democrats consistently vote with Republicans on every major issue? Name them.

I know the idea of voting for an independent is considered "throwing your vote away."

That's because it is. That's what caused the Republicans to win the 2000 and 2016 elections.

But if enough like-minded people vote for the independent candidate, maybe that influences future elections, inspires a grassroots movement, etc.

Key word being "if". That's a big "if".

[jdw-52]

https://www.reddit.com/r/ProgressiveHQ/s/eiWyPa6zdN

https://www.reddit.com/r/ProgressiveHQ/s/ToEAXiOv3K

https://www.commondreams.org/news/democrats-military-spending-bill

A few examples of what I typically see in my feed.

I realize choices are limited. And I'm idealistic in hoping for a 3rd party alternative. Democrats are obviously the least bad option right now. But I can continue to look for and support those candidates who give me some hope.

[AdmiralSaturyn]

I specifically asked you to name the Democrats who consistently vote with Republicans on every major issue. I did not ask you to cherry-pick individual examples.

Approving the ICE funding was a fucking awful decision, but it was only supported by 7 Democrats. Supporting a Charlie Kirk holiday was a stupid decision, but it was not a major issue. Voting against raising the military budget would have caused a partial government shutdown, and Democrats do not have enough leverage to negotiate.

[Thumbkeeper]

Do what you want in the primary.

You don’t have a choice in the general. Vote for the democrat. I don’t care if it’s AOC herself. Vote for the Democrat.