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There are numerous political ads on television prior to elections. How do you get the information that guides you who to vote for in the election? Do you vote along party lines?
Posted in these groups: 
Elections
Elections
Posted >1 y ago
Responses: 6
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First thing in an election, I decide on the issues that are most important to me. Second, on those issues, I study the candidates. And when I say study, I mean study. Do their actions measure up against their words? If not, I always go with the actions.
When political ads start around here (literally when the commercial starts), I hit mute and I don't turn the sound back on until the commercials are over and the show is back on. Political ads are no different than any other ads. Their goal is to sell a product, service, or person. Truth is not the agenda, votes are. So I ignore them.
I will say that I am very happy with how long I went this year before seeing negative campaigns. But once I saw the first one, I felt so dirty.
One thing I refuse to do is vote along party lines. IMHO, party lines really mean nothing any more.
When political ads start around here (literally when the commercial starts), I hit mute and I don't turn the sound back on until the commercials are over and the show is back on. Political ads are no different than any other ads. Their goal is to sell a product, service, or person. Truth is not the agenda, votes are. So I ignore them.
I will say that I am very happy with how long I went this year before seeing negative campaigns. But once I saw the first one, I felt so dirty.
One thing I refuse to do is vote along party lines. IMHO, party lines really mean nothing any more.
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Political ads are no different than any other type of ad, they tell you what 1) what they think you want to hear, and 2) what they want you to know, so they must all be taken with a grain of salt. The only way to be a truly informed voter is to research (through as many different sources as possible) the candidates and their positions on the issues you find important. It IS work, but it beats voting straight party lines or worse yet, not voting at all!
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COL Vincent Stoneking
In my state, I have a very simple approach.
If there is a candidate from my preferred political party, I vote for them. (uncommon, but happening more each year)
If one or more of the candidates claims no party or a third party, other than my favorite (also not uncommon in my area), I research them and vote accordingly.
If there is a candidate from my slight favorite/slightly less objectionable major party, I vote for them.
If the only candidates are from my less favorite major party (not uncommon in my area - we have a "top two" primary system), I vote a Disney character.
Ballot initiatives (very common in my area) get researched carefully, especially the funding thereof. As do levies, etc.
My logic is this:
First preference, Second balance of power.
If there is a candidate from my preferred political party, I vote for them. (uncommon, but happening more each year)
If one or more of the candidates claims no party or a third party, other than my favorite (also not uncommon in my area), I research them and vote accordingly.
If there is a candidate from my slight favorite/slightly less objectionable major party, I vote for them.
If the only candidates are from my less favorite major party (not uncommon in my area - we have a "top two" primary system), I vote a Disney character.
Ballot initiatives (very common in my area) get researched carefully, especially the funding thereof. As do levies, etc.
My logic is this:
First preference, Second balance of power.
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I obtain the voters pamphlet, then research everyone who is running for office. I check their "Facebook" pages to see what kinds of groups they are a member of, and check out their family members political "bent". The birds of a feather thing. I check their NRA rating, whether they have been Military, That's important one for me". I ask my friends and talk to people I know that have an opposite political outlook than I do. If they get my vote, then they have earned it. I don't give it away because of the colour of their skin or their gender. They have to earn that vote from me. Today, people no longer have a need to go to the polls to vote. I mail mine from home. There is no excuse in this internet connected world to not vote. People can sign up to vote when receiving their drivers license, paying county taxes, getting permits etc. Pure laziness is all that it is. Laziness to not do research, laziness to not fill out a voter card in the 700 days between elections (we don't need to take voter registrations on election day. All that does is give a none registered voter a counted vote because the majority of voting precincts have no way to check to see if that person is legitimate. It takes many weeks to check the citizenship of each voter, and it is done by volunteers and by hand.) and obtaining a registration card is so simple to do. They will even mail you one if you phone them and request it. It took two months to certify the Florida election between Bush and Gore in 2000 because of the thousands of illegitimate votes that were cast when Bush won his second term. In the end, Bush won by only 537 votes out of 6 Million cast. Don't ever say your vote doesn't count. Research, research, and more research, ask family members, ask police officers you personally know, ask friends, but in the end. Vote the way YOU want to see the country go.
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