And you thought voting straight ticket was the solution --

[alfreda89]

Nope. If you vote straight ticket for any party, if there is no one in that group who is in your party, you'll have no vote for that office -- and that includes several districts Tom DeLay screwed with. You can't vote for Lloyd Doggett, for example, unless you go through the ballot to the exact point and mark him in. This has happened to several candidates.

Here's the post in Silona's journal.

http://silona.livejournal.com/240476.html#cutid1

Get thy hands upon a Chronicle and see them compare candidates. I also Recommend the League of Women Voters, who struggle to keep the conversation on the job and not the personalities.


http://www.austinchronicle.com/gyrobase/Issue/home

http://www.lwvtexas.org/

Comments

[mongo42.livejournal.com]

Yep, League of Women Voters is always a good, non-partisan source for candidate info. Another good place to look is Project Vote Smart: http://www.vote-smart.org. Enter your nine-digit zip code and it'll list all the candidates and whether or not they've filled out Vote Smart's questionnaire, along with vote history for the incumbents.

Matt

Thanks --

[alfreda89.livejournal.com]

I remember using them last election, now that you mention them. Unfortunately, the people I really wanted info about didn't bother to give them information.

That makes a specific impression on me!

Re: Thanks --

[mongo42.livejournal.com]

Both parties are coaching all of their candidates to not answer the Vote Smart questionnaire. Very disappointing.

Re: Thanks --

[alfreda89.livejournal.com]

Just once I'd like to see a candidate be honest about themselves...

[starcat-jewel.livejournal.com]

I've always voted "straight ticket" by making individual selections, for exactly this reason. It was easier to spot on the machines they used in Tennessee, where all the races were visible at once and you flipped levers. I really don't like the ones here in Texas -- they're non-intuitive even for me, and I'm computer-literate! I can only imagine how intimidating they must be to someone who isn't.

[alfreda89.livejournal.com]

-- they're non-intuitive even for me, and I'm computer-literate! I can only imagine how intimidating they must be to someone who isn't.

I agree. You'd think they would be a good solution, but you can't go back, for example, and double-check your 4 digit number has been entered correctly. And with the illness, I occasionally do things on autopilot. Also -- listen carefully when they read back your precinct and say something if they've inverted numbers! She was relieved I'd caught it -- said it would invalidate my vote.