Tips for Cutting through Election Rhetoric
We are now one week from the critical 2022 United States’ election day. If you or someone you know needs encouragement and information to vote, then this issue is for you. Don’t hesitate to pass it along to others that might be interested in this information as well!
Does my vote matter?
Elected officials determine which laws are passed, whether you vote or not. Those laws affect our schools, police, parental rights, first amendment rights and more.
Multiple elections have been determined by very slim margins. The 2000 Presidential election was determined by 0.009% of the votes cast in the state of Florida, or 537 votes. In a 2020 House race in Iowa, six votes separated the winner from the loser. A Portland State University study found that only 15% of eligible voters were turning out to vote at local elections. That means your sheriff, your judges, your mayor and city council and other local offices are determined by a very small group, making a single vote even more meaningful! Yes, YOUR vote definitely matters!
Connecting your values with candidates
One of the most frequent questions we hear from people like you is, “I just don’t know who to vote for. Can you help me figure it out?” Let’s face it, the information we have available today is high in quantity, but low in quality. Do you really know if a particular source is giving you accurate information? How can you trust what the political commercials say or what the candidates say about themselves or each other? In this article, we’re going to give you some very helpful information to navigate the uncertainty of voting.
First and foremost, you must be sure of your own beliefs. As a subscriber to United Families International, you most likely already have deep convictions about Life, the traditional Family unit, constitutionally protected Freedoms, and Education quality and freedom. The second important factor is understanding that POLICY MATTERS! Personalities are important, but you will be bound to live by the policies passed by your elected officials. Having a pro-family, pro-life, pro-constitutional candidate in office matters. We believe the family is the fundamental unit of society, and we understand that government is derived from society and culture.
We need to ensure and secure the family through the vote. However, unless your candidates are upfront about these very important matters, you may not know where they stand on these critical issues. One way to learn where they stand is to see what their party platform values. A great resource for comparing the official Republican Party Platform to the Democrat Party Platform is the Family Research Council’s Action site. The party platform statements are very clear on UFI’s key issues. While elected officials are not bound by their party platform, research has found that when a party controls both the White House and Congress, most of the time its financial priorities reflect issues emphasized in its platform.
Discovering your candidates views
If you happen to have an “Independent” candidate, such as the case in Utah with Evan McMullin vs. Senator Mike Lee, then how can you tell if the Independent candidate will agree with you on most key issues? The best way to tell is to see who has endorsed the Independent candidate. For instance, Evan McMullin was endorsed by the Utah Democratic Party. A political party will only endorse a candidate who substantially agrees with them on their top issues, and will help move their political agenda forward.
You can see the other contributors to candidate’s campaigns by searching the Federal Election Commission website. Act Blue is a platform that is available to Democratic candidates (as well as committees, progressive organizations and nonprofits) that share their Democrat values. They are especially involved in funding the critical Senate races for the candidate they feel will best represent them. Watch for their name as you seek out donations to your candidates. As always, the money trail is very telling.
The best way to tell where your candidate stands on the issues is to look at their voting record. Unfortunately, this applies only to candidates who have a voting record. A couple of great resources for Congressional candidates are the Family Research Council Action Scorecard, and the Heritage Action for America Scorecard.
Voting Resources
A great resource is UFI’s Your State page. Once you go to the UFI website, click on “Your State” under “Get Involved,” or click the “Your State” page link above, then click on your state – either in the map or in the list below the map. There you can find quick links to get necessary voter information. It varies per state, but here are some samples of available information – how to register, where to vote, what district you are in, who are your current elected officials (valuable so you know who to research for your vote), how to become a poll worker, and much more information that not only makes you a more informed voter, but also gives you tools to facilitate remaining an engaged voter in your state even after election results are determined. Vote.gov is also a great resource.
Finally, why does it matter that we elect candidates who stand with us on the issues of Life, Family, Freedom, and Education? As we look around at the tattered political landscape of 2022, we see that political debate is no longer just about funding the next road, or whether or not to modify the tax code. The issues that are on the table now directly affect our constitutional rights to life, liberty, and the pursuit of happiness. The midterm elections of 2022 will have a distinct effect on the future of our nation and communities.
Let’s make our voices heard!
Wendy Wixom, President
United Families International