Critical Thinking: Voter Resources

Even if you agree with our voter guides one hundred percent, it’s worth exploring other resources and recommendations to help you decided how to vote.  So for this edition of our Critical Thinking series we’re taking a break from our usual recommendations of architecture and design writing to highlight some excellent voter resources.

(And if you missed any of our voter guide posts you can find them all here, here, here, here, and here.)

LA Podcast Voter Guide

The people behind the LA Podcast have created an extensive voter guide that not only covers all of the statewide propositions and Los Angeles measures, but also includes recommendations for every congressional and state legislature election in LA County, as well as all the judges.  It’s a one-stop-shop for all your voting recommendation needs, and it helps that we agree with almost all of their positions!

L.A. Taco Voter Guide

L.A. Taco is not just a place to find out about all the great food in Los Angeles, it’s quickly becoming a go-to resource for in-depth local reporting.  The L.A. Taco voter guide lives up to that reputation with thorough discussions of the biggest statewide propositions, as well as the U.S. Senate race, and the judges on the ballot.

Gimme Props from CalMatters

Despite having a terrible pun for a name, Gimme Props could be a useful resource for those who find themselves on the fence about a particular proposition.  Rather than providing their own recommendations, Gimme Props is kind of like the Tinder of voting, asking you questions about your positions (which you swipe left or right to answer), and then telling you how you should vote based on your responses.  In some cases the questions are too simplistic to adequately address the thorny issues in the propositions, and the wording of some of the questions can lead to mistakenly choosing the wrong response, but it’s a fun game, and could help you confirm your choices.

Registering to Vote

If you are reading this and are not yet registered to vote, you’ve already missed the official deadline.  But don’t worry, California recently enacted a new “Conditional Voter Registration” process that allows you to register in person as late as election day.  Unfortunately, the process varies widely by county, and here in LA County, you can’t just show up at your polling place and ask to register.  If you live in LA County and still need to register to vote, you must go to the Registrar-Recorder/County Clerk Headquarters office in Norwalk and complete the process there.  It’s not the most convenient, but it’s an option for all you procrastinators out there.

Getting to the Polls

If you’re the kind of person who likes to go out to your polling place to cast your ballot, rather than voting by mail, 2018 is providing lots of incentives to get you there.  Both Uber and Lyft have promotions on rides to your polling place.  But if you really want to make the revolutionary choice in how you get to the polls on Tuesday, skip the fossil-fuel-burning rideshare, and take transit!  If you live in LA County, there’s a good chance there is a free public transit option available to you on election day, with LA Metro (including bike share), Antelope Valley Transit Authority, LADOT, Long Beach Transit, Pasadena Transit, Santa Clarita Transit, and Access Services all offering free rides on Tuesday, November 6.  

With all these great options, you really have no excuse NOT to get out and vote.  So make a plan, take a friend, and go exercise your right to have a say in your government.  Vote!