[Shrodax]

Presidents, congressmen, senators, and governors are all fairly easy to choose in the voting booth. Those races get lots of media attention, the candidates spend huge sums advertising and holding rallies, and often times even meet face-to-face to debate.

But what about all the random elections taking place way down the ballot? What's everyone's strategy for choosing the random judges, commissioners, state representatives, sheriffs, constables, etc. that also appear in every election?

Like a good citizen, I'm trying to research all the candidates so I can vote for who best represents me. I printed off a sample ballot for my state and am Googling the candidates in each race. But there's frequently little information available about them. Often, the down-ballot candidates don't even have a website, and if they do, it's little more than "I love America" and "meet my family." That's great and all, but it doesn't tell me anything useful about their policy positions. I can't even fathom how citizens even learned anything about these candidates before the Internet was invented.

How does everyone on RVF choose their vote in local elections? Do you just vote straight party and hope for the best? Do you not vote at all in those races? Do you pick the candidate with the best sounding name? Or like me, do you try to meticulously research each and every candidate, making notes to bring with you to the voting booth like you're autistic?

[wi30]

I got a booklet in the mail with my ballot that explained the background and stances of everyone on the ticket. A handful were running unopposed so I didn't put too much thought into it.

I put a lot more effort into the different propositions and amendments to the state constitution. Those directly impact taxes and the community.

Like I give a shit about some district county judge who specializes in parking tickets.

[polymath]

I usually look into the individuals running beforehand. If I can't find any information and I like the status quo for that particular office's purview, I vote for the incumbent. Otherwise, I vote for the challenger whose name I like the most.

[MikeInRealLife]

My rules:

1) Do not vote for a Democrat or Greenie, even for dog catcher.
2) Do not vote for anyone who does not support Mr. Trump.

I abstained from voting for Senator here in Arizona because McCain is a cucked faggot warmonger who stabbed Mr. Trump in the back.

[RoastBeefCurtains4Me]

I always vote no for all sitting judges. I figure if they're otherwise popular, they can stay in spite of my vote. If they're as assholes with a lot of other people opposing them, my vote may be enough to kick them out.

[Shrodax]

(11-03-2016 05:49 PM)MikeInRealLife Wrote:  

1) Do not vote for a Democrat or Greenie, even for dog catcher.

I can't fully follow that advice, because I'm voting for Adam “Bulletproof” King Blackwell Reposa, the Green Party candidate for Judge, Place 2, on the Texas Court of Criminal Appeals:

[The Beast1]

Do some f*cking research!

Go to Ballotopedia and research all of the candidates and who they are. Seriously, it takes 5 minutes to do so. Google their names and find out their stances.

Heck, call up their campaign offices and ask point blank, "What is [x's opinion on Donald Trump?"

Anything less than a high energy response should be enough to get the picture.

[eradicator]

You can look up judges' records online before voting. I do that now.

[puckerman]

I often look at who the local newspapers are endorsing. Then I vote against whom the papers are endorsing.

[username]

I don't vote for any women. We wouldn't be in the shitty situation we are now if women were not in politics.

[Bluto]

(11-05-2016 08:53 AM)puckerman Wrote:  

I often look at who the local newspapers are endorsing. Then I vote against whom the papers are endorsing.

Good one! Normally I vote for non-incumbents, however these days no democrats any more.

[NilNisiOptimum]

In California, we have a big down ballot problem this year. Thanks to a ballot measure passed several years ago, our US Congressional races are run with an open primary (everyone on the same ballot, open to everyone to vote on), with the top two vote getters placed on the ballot in November.

This year, a US Senate seat is open with the retirement of one of the shriveled liberal hags who occupy those seats (Boxer or Feinstein, don't know which, I can't tell the elderly female liberal hags apart).

Our choices are two democrats. One is State Attorney General Kamala Harris is a typical San Francisco liberal who got her job because she's a black woman. Interestingly, her sister has been mentioned in the latest Clinton email dump. The other is Loretta Sanchez, a democrat member of House representing part of Orange County. Fun stats on her are that she voted with Pelosi 98% of the time, and would be the first Latina to serve in the US Senate. I'm sure she would be a wise Latina who could make better decisions than a man. /sarcasm

Both of these choices are in palatable to me. I'm curious if any other states have issues like this, of if this level of shenanigans is unique to California.