When election season comes around, most voters don’t have the time to research all the candidates on their ballot.  In most cases, voters look for where they can get information they can trust to help them choose who deserves their vote. 

Research done by George Barna at Arizona Christian University’s Cultural Research Institute just after the 2024 general election, found that even though the biggest voting influence was the party platform, voter guides were listed as having “a lot of influence” by those in certain faith-based demographics.  Click here to view the research document. 

Voters in primary elections are not able to base their vote on party platforms and depend even more upon voter guides to inform their vote.  

Since voter guides are prepared with different goals, from different sources, and with different methods, how do you choose a voter guide that you can trust? 

1. Determine the type of voter guide you are looking for.

There are a wide range of documents called voter guides.  They range from a simple list of recommended candidates to detailed research of each individual candidate. 

• If you want a list of recommended, or endorsed, candidates – then look for an organization whose methodology is thorough and who aligns with your values and issues.  Are they single issue?  Faith-based?  Social issues or fiscal issues?
• Just want candidate biographies and questionnaire responses?  Identify questionnaires or surveys that hit the issues most important to you, then find as many responses as you can.  If possible, seek out candidate forums to hear from the candidates yourself.
• If you’re wanting detailed research into candidate actions because you don’t trust what candidate’s say or because the rhetoric is so strong on all sides, then look for a voter guide that does a deep dive into how the candidates have voted.  You might also be interested in finding out who supports their campaign financially and want a voter guide that “follows the money.”  It’s important when deciding between these types of guides to make sure they provide links to the original source of the information.
• Looking for information on judges or local elections?  This is the hardest information to find so look for organizations locally engaged.

Different guides serve different needs. Understanding your goals helps narrow your options.

2. Look at who produces the guide(s).

Is it a nonpartisan organization, an advocacy group, a media outlet, or a government entity? Knowing the source can tell you:

• What kind of vetting process was used to collect information
• Whether the guide aims to inform, persuade, or mobilize
• How transparent the organization is about its methodology

Reputable guides usually provide clear information about their mission and how they gather and present candidate data.  Look at more than what the organization says about itself; look at who funds it and what political issues they support.

3. Evaluate each guide’s objectivity and unique perspective.

Some guides strive for neutrality; others offer information from a particular viewpoint. One is not inherently better than the other—it depends on what you want and the transparency of the organization. Even guides with a specific perspective should handle facts fairly, cite sources, and allow candidates a chance to respond.

Look for whether the guide allows voters to see side-by-side comparisons, direct quotes from candidates, and links to voting records.

4. Look for depth and local coverage.

When you go into the voting booth, your ballot may contain candidates from the U.S. Senate all the way down to city council or sheriff.  Some voter guides just focus on national or high-profile races. The most useful ones will also provide information on down-ballot races, ballot measures, judicial races, local municipal and school board races . . . which often have the biggest impact on your day-to-day life. The more comprehensive and locally focused the guide is, the more valuable it may be.

5. Check candidate participation.

Some guides contact candidates directly with surveys or questionnaires. This can be a great way to see where candidates stand in their own words. However, not all candidates respond—so check how the guide handles non-responses, and whether it indicates when information was provided by the candidate versus researched independently.

Additionally, some voter guides are “pay to play.”   The candidate’s pay to have their information included; not all candidates will have the same access and the determinations may be swayed by monetary donations, making it less objective.  Look for a voter guide that gives each candidate the same opportunities to participate and objectively looks at each candidate in a race.

6. Verify with multiple sources.

No single voter guide will be perfect or completely exhaustive. Consider consulting more than one, especially if you’re undecided or want to double-check claims. Cross-referencing helps reduce bias and increases confidence in your choices.

Conclusion

A good voter guide empowers you to make decisions based on accurate, relevant, and transparent information. Whether you’re a first-time voter or a seasoned one, taking a few moments to choose a guide that fits your values and standards is a worthwhile investment in the democratic process.

For an in-depth, data-driven tool that both researches and objectively evaluates the political philosophy of each candidate, visit iVoterGuide.com and enter your voting address to get your personalized voter guide.