General Election, good sources for info on LOCAL canidates? (income, income tax)

[Ed_RDNC]

There are several sources to get Sample Ballots, so you know the people running, and the issues being decided upon.
I like to mark one up before the election, taking the time to research the people and issues, and so my actual voting is just transcribing the sample over to the actual ballot.

I've found several good (detailed and nonpartisan) sources of information about the federal congressional candidates, and also for the state congress people, and for the ballot issues. BUT not for the local elections.

I'm looking for somewhere that has compiled past records, current issue standings, backgrounds, funding sources, and other relevant information for the state offices below State Congress, and for the county and municipal offices. Specifically OTHER than the candidates own websites and Face Book pages, (that are, presumably pretty biased).

FYI: the better Top-Level nonpartisan sources I've found are:
www.ballotpedia.org
www.votesmart.org

The best state and local nonpartisan info source I've found is
www.vote411.org (affiliated with the League of Women Voters)
"A "one-stop-shop" for election related information. It provides nonpartisan information to the public with both general and state-specific information on the following aspects of the election process"
Enter your address here, it it walks you through your-edition of a sample ballot, providing the information in a side-by-side format, making it easy to evaluate, choose, and remember your choices.


Any other sources to help voters evaluate??

[m378]

This may be a naive question, but why is it most republican candidates have blank profiles on sites like these? I was looking through vote411.org and lots were missing. I assume it's because they don't respond to the questions?

[pierretong1991]

Originally Posted by m378

This may be a naive question, but why is it most republican candidates have blank profiles on sites like these? I was looking through vote411.org and lots were missing. I assume it's because they don't respond to the questions?

vote411 usually says "Candidate has not yet responded"

[m378]

Originally Posted by pierretong1991

vote411 usually says "Candidate has not yet responded"

I guess my question is, isn't in the candidates' best interest to respond? For voters coming in with no knowledge of the candidates and want an "easy summary" without having to visit each candidates website, they're not going to vote for someone who hasn't responded.

It seems odd to me.

[RedZin]

How is everyone in Wake feeling about the bond issues?

[BoBromhal]

Originally Posted by m378

This may be a naive question, but why is it most republican candidates have blank profiles on sites like these? I was looking through vote411.org and lots were missing. I assume it's because they don't respond to the questions?

I'll keep looking .... but know that the Triangle leans left on elected officials. Lots of incumbents for whom the Republican "challenger" is no challenger at all, merely a gadfly who decided to pay the registration fee to seek office, whatever that fee may be.

[pierretong1991]

Originally Posted by RedZin

How is everyone in Wake feeling about the bond issues?

Would love to hear more about this too (if there are any pros/cons) - I honestly didn't know there were bonds on the ballot until I just looked at the sites linked here.

[wheelsup]

I used:

2018 North Carolina Voter Guide

Near the top, "meet the candidates on your ballot". You input your address and it gives you a personalized list. You can then choose and at the end click the "view ballot" tab and it will display / print your choices.

I found some did not have responses, but did have web sites, so I visited them.

Kudos for doing research instead of voting along party lines.

I voted for the education bonds. IIRC I voted to cap state income tax but voted no on everything else.

[NYCANC]

There are 6 constitutional amendments on the ballot.
I researched them greatly and everything I am reading says they are a "place holder" and have not been written yet!
If it gets passed, then the legislators will write them??????

[pierretong1991]

Originally Posted by NYCANC

There are 6 constitutional amendments on the ballot.
I researched them greatly and everything I am reading says they are a "place holder" and have not been written yet!
If it gets passed, then the legislators will write them??????

Yep - that's why I'm leaning more towards voting "no" rather than "yes" even though some of them could be reasonable.

The lack of details, vagueness and lack of specifics that are attached lead me to want more information before making it a constitutional amendment.