The following information was compiled by Joanie Alsup and shared with St. Louis Earth Day for the purposes of encouraging voters to research the ballot candidates and issues. St. Louis Earth Day does not endorse any candidate or policy, but will celebrate victories for the environment and our community!

GUIDE TO CASTING AN INFORMED VOTE

These are principles I’ve adopted to help me meet my responsibilities as a U.S. citizen to participate in our democracy. I’ve also included research links I’ve found to be helpful in navigating the sea of biased information to help me better understand the candidates and issues on my ballot, and to think critically about the impact of my vote so that I may express my voice and my values in a way that I believe benefits the greater good. I share them with you in hopes that
the information below may help you better participate responsibly in our democracy.

3 Principles of Voting:

1. I commit to vote in every election, big or small. It’s a right that people have died to gain and defend, a privilege of our democracy, and a responsibility to uphold with our participation. Even if there’s only one small item on my ballot, I research it and vote, to stay informed and participate in my community.
2. I cast an informed vote. In today’s democracy and political environment, I’m aware there is not only an abundance of information but often an overwhelm of paid or highly biased information and propaganda designed to grab our attention, elevate our fears and manipulate our minds to hijack our vote for someone else’s purpose. I want to make my choice that reflects my values.
3.  I vote for what I believe will make the world a better place for all. Accepting a win/lose approach to anything, including elections, only results in more loss as populations hurt from their loss try to express their voice more loudly and perhaps irrationally to try to be heard and overcome their loss. Who wants to lose? No one! Moving past win/lose, right/wrong thinking to what I think is helpful to as many as possible helps me support the spirit of the Constitution to promote the general welfare of the people.

Below are guidelines I use to help implement these three principles:

Principle #1:

Learn the district information for where you live: I’ve learned what municipality, township, ward, school district, fire district, county council, state senate, state rep, and congressional district I live in. The voting identification card or election notice mailed to me includes this information. I start by googling my county board of election commissioners. An online look-up feature using my address helps me obtain a sample ballot, usually available four to six weeks before elections, which are usually the first Tuesday in March, April, August and/or November. Here are links to most boards around the Greater St. Louis area:

Missouri
St. Louis County: http://www.stlouisco.com/yourgovernment/elections
St. Louis City: https://www.stlouis-mo.gov/government/departments/board-election-commissioners/
Jefferson County: http://www.jeffcomo.org/countyclerk.aspx?nodeID=CountyClerk
St. Charles County: http://www.sccmo.org/410/Election-Authority
Illinois
St. Clair County: http://www.countyclerk.co.st-clair.il.us/elections/Pages/default.aspx
Madison County: http://www.co.madison.il.us/departments/county_clerk/elections/index.php
Jersey County: http://www.jerseycountyclerk-il.com/page/election/

Principle #2:

Research the candidates and issues in your district: I review interviews with candidates from television and print interviews as well as watch town hall debates. I remember that candidates are interviewing for a job. Are they answering and responding to questions as regular people would in a job interview, by providing factual information that shows their experience and respect for the job they are seeking to fill? Distorting or attacking another candidate’s record or personality would not be tolerated in a normal job interview. I read neutral information on ballot issues and candidates for local, state and federal races: I review information from my elected officials on legislative session activities. I review editorials on upcoming election issues and candidates, such as from the St. Louis Post-Dispatch, and St. Louis Business Journal, as well as papers around the state for statewide elections, to learn the reasoning for their recommendations and contexts surrounding the issues on the ballot. Also I take into consideration endorsements, budgets and PAC influences on candidates and issues. I ignore negative campaigning as well as paid print and broadcast advertising, which are often inaccurate and highly biased to elicit emotions that prevent clear thinking and analysis. Adjectives aren’t facts!

Some research links include:
St. Louis Post-Dispatch: http://www.stltoday.com/votersguide
St. Louis Post-Dispatch Editorial: http://www.stltoday.com/news/opinion/
League of Women Voters: http://lwvstl.org
Ballotpedia Missouri Candidates and Amendments: https://ballotpedia.org/Missouri
Ballotpedia Illinois Candidates and Amendments: https://ballotpedia.org/Illinois
For information on past voting records:
Federal: https://www.govtrack.us/
State: http://www.moga.mo.gov/

I read neutral performance information on judges up for re-election:

Missouri:
The Missouri nonpartisan court plan, commonly called the Missouri Plan, has served as a national model for the selection of judges and has been adopted in more than 30 other states. The nonpartisan plan provides for the selection of judges based on merit rather than on political affiliation.
Your Missouri Judges: http://www.yourmissourijudges.org/reviews/  (Scroll down to find the circuit in which you live to learn and read about the judges in your area who are up for retention. You can review summary information or click on a judge’s picture to learn more in-depth information about his/her background, including specific survey results that make up the summary  information/recommendation.)

Illinois:
Judges in Illinois are chosen by popular vote in partisan elections and serve 10-year terms, after which they must compete in uncontested, nonpartisan retention elections to continue serving. Unlike most states, supreme and appellate court justices in Illinois are elected to represent specific districts.
Ballotpedia Illinois Judges: https://ballotpedia.org/Judicial_selection_in_Illinois

Principle #3:

I vote for what I believe in and stand for. I let what I value guide my choices. It provides accountability for me and my representatives. For example, if I believe in the power of diversity and inclusion, between two qualified candidates, I choose the candidate who brings a more diverse perspective to leadership. I remember that voting against what I don’t want actually creates more of that! What we focus on expands! What we resist persists. I vote for what I want to bring forth into the world. Lastly, I know my vote makes a difference! It has been and can be a deciding factor in the future that I help to create. I use the power of my vote for Good! I hope you will, too! Thank you for voting!

Joani Alsop is a Leadership Development Consultant and Executive Coach with over 15 years experience in Organization Development and Human Resources, including executive assessments, onboarding, change management and agility, talent development, women’s leadership development, mentoring, leader transitions, and mindfulness practices. Joani has a Master’s degree in Organizational Leadership & Development and a Bachelor’s in Business management, and is the CORO Women In Leadership Program Trainer for FOCUS St. Louis. Joani is an active member of and serves on the Executive Board of the St. Louis Organization Development Network as Community Outreach Chair.