Presidential Election 2016: Judging Candidates

When you listen to candidates, or read their statements, here are some questions to ask, from the League of Women Voters of the United States .

1. Do they answer questions directly, or evade them?
2. Do they give specifics about their stands on the issues, or speak in generalities?
3. Do they support their positions and arguments with facts and figures?
4. Do they talk about their own policies and positions, or mostly attack their opponents?
5. Are their proposals realistic? Can they actually carry out promises they are making?
6. Do they appear sincere, confident and relaxed?
7. Do they show how their backgrounds and experience qualify them to hold the office?
8. Are their answers consistent with their previous positions? If not, do they explain why?
9. What image of themselves are they trying to create?
10. Do their responses appear overly rehearsed?

adapted from the League of Women Voters of the United States "How to Judge a Candidate"

1. Decide what you are looking for in a candidate. Candidates can be judged in two ways: the positions they take on issues, and the leadership qualities and experience that they would bring to the office. Your first step in choosing a candidate is to decide what issues you care about and the qualities you want in a leader. When you consider issues, think about community or national problems that you want people in government to address. Also consider what party the candidate belongs to and the typical stance the party takes on the issues. When you consider leadership qualities, think about the characteristics you want in an effective leader. Do you look for intelligence, honesty, an ability to communicate? What else?

2. Find out about the candidates. First, find out which candidates are running. Voters everywhere can find out about who will be on their ballot by using the League’s www.VOTE411.org website. Other materials include:

• Media reports of candidates’ speeches and events
• Candidates’ social media platforms
• Candidates’ websites, literature & ads

As you read the materials you collect, keep track of what you’ve learned. Do the materials give you an overall impression of the candidates? What specific conclusions can you draw about the candidates’ stands on issues? How do the candidates’ positions align with your values and opinions?

3. Learn about the candidates’ leadership abilities. Here are some ways to read between the lines as you evaluate the candidates’ leadership qualities:

• Look at the candidates’ background and experience. How prepared are they for the job?
• Observe the campaigns. Do they give speeches to different groups – even those groups that may disagree with the candidates’ views on issues? Do they accept invitations to debate? Do the campaigns emphasize media events, where the candidates can be seen but not heard?
• Review the candidates’ websites and materials. Do campaign materials emphasize issues or image? Are they accurate?

4. Learn how other people view the candidate.

• Listen and talk with the people in your life. What has shaped their political opinions? What issues do they think about when they head to the voting booth?
• Learn who has endorsed the candidates. Interest groups and organizations, as well as newspapers, often endorse specific candidates for office. Endorsements can provide clues to the issues a candidate supports.
• Look into campaign contributions. Where do the candidates get the funds to finance their campaigns? Do they use their own money or raise funds from a few wealthy donors, from many small contributors or from Political Action Committees? Many types of information about campaign contributions must be reported to the government and are watched by the press and available at www.opensecrets.org. How might these campaign contributions affect the candidates’ conduct in office?
• Pay attention to polling data. As you read the polls, ask these questions: Who sponsored the poll? Was the poll produced by a trusted and independent entity? What kinds of questions were asked? Were they slanted or unbiased? How many people were included in the poll sample?

5. Cut through the rhetoric. All candidates are trying to sell themselves to voters. Sometimes their language is so skillfully crafted that they distort the truth in ways that are difficult for even the most careful observer to detect. Here are examples of distortion techniques that you should watch for as you review candidates’ campaign materials. Common distortion techniques:

• Name calling/Appeals to prejudice
• Rumor mongering
• Guilt by association
• Catchphrases
• Passing the blame
• Promising the sky
• Evading real issues

6. Evaluate candidates’ use of television. As you watch news coverage of campaigns, be wary of staged, “made for TV” events and try to find out what the candidate is actually saying about the issues. The same warning applies to political advertisements. When you watch political ads, be aware of how they influences your reactions. Did you find out anything about issues or qualifications, or was the ad designed only to affect your attitude or feelings about a candidate? How important were the script, setting and music?

7. Sorting it all out. Reflect on everything you have learned. Ask yourself these final questions:

• Which candidate’s views on the issues do I agree with the most?
• Who ran the fairest campaign?
• Which candidate demonstrated the most knowledge on the issues?
Which candidate has the leadership qualities I am looking for?
• How can I get ready to cast my vote on Election Day?

8. Vote, and Ask your Friends and Family to do the same!