"The ballot is stronger than the bullet." Abraham Lincoln.
You, the American voter, possess a gift that many people around the globe couldn't even dream of receiving. You have the have the chance to choose those who represent you in a free and fair election. Furthermore, you have the opportunity to do so with access to the truth about who your candidates are, and how they will really represent you. You have the facts.
But do the facts really matter? Many Americans seem to believe that they don't. When they go to the voting booth, they are given the chance to think or to follow in the same senseless steps that they always have. When they choose the latter, they let themselves become political puppets - so easily manipulated, yet unaware of the harm that they present to their fellow Americans.
Vote Smart knows that the facts matter. That's why it offers a free outlet for all Americans to make educated decisions about who they hire to represent them through the Voter's Self Defense System.
Every candidate and elected official from President to local government can be easily and instantly accessed through the Voter's Self-Defense System:
Voting Records: Vote Smart digests key legislation in Congress and all 50 states into easy-to-understand summaries, making it easy to compare what your representatives said during the campaign with how they actually voted on the record.
Biographical & Contact Information: From their previous professions, education, family life, and organizational memberships to their social media accounts and latest email addresses.
Issue Positions (Political Courage Test): We test thousands of candidates for President, Congress, Governor and State Legislature with our Political Courage Test. The Test accurately measures candidates' willingness to provide voters with their positions on the issues they will most likely face if elected.
Interest Group Ratings: See how over 400 national and 1300 state special interest groups evaluate your representatives. Despite their bias, special interest group ratings can help indicate where an incumbent has stood on a particular set of issues.
Public Statements: Vote Smart is constantly collecting speeches and public comments made by the president, governors, and congressional representatives. Just type in a word, say; 'immigration' and all public utterances containing the word 'immigration' will appear. Compare what they said while campaigning in California a few years ago to what they are saying now in New Hampshire.
Campaign Finances: How much money did your representatives raise and from whom?
Your ballot has power, so vote with the facts. Vote Smart!
Vote Smart is a non-profit organization dedicated to providing accurate, unbiased information and making it accessible to all. Our expenses are paid entirely by donations. If you would like to support our help us defend democracy and fight ignorance, please help us if you can. Every dollar makes a difference.
Fight for the Facts! Donate to Vote Smart!