Informed Voters - Better Voting

Once upon a time, I was a US Government teacher. I used to hand out pocket Constitutions and ensure that when my students turned 18, they registered to vote. I've always been interested in the electoral process and voter voice. I have voted in every single election since I turned 18.

I recently learned my home state, Washington State, is an outlier in how elections are handled, and I was both surprised and shocked.

First, we are a "vote by mail" state, which makes voting easy and accessible to all. You receive your ballot in the mail, you complete it on your own, and then you mail it back (no postage needed) or you drop it in a local ballot box. You can also vote in person if you prefer. If needed, you can receive and send your ballot electronically, which I did when I was living abroad earlier this year. Easy-peasy. Several states do this, so it's not too unusual.

But what really makes Washington State unusual is this: they provide every constituent with a "Voter's Guide." It is both mailed out and provided online, free of charge. Inside, there is a wealth of information. There are instructions for voting and explanations of each race and the duties of different elected positions. For initiatives, levies, and other measures, you are provided with information about what the measure is. You're also provided with a "pro" and a "con" statement crafted by third parties, and often with URLs provided for more information (required by state law). For every single candidate and elected position, you are provided with a candidate statement that follows an established outline and word count.

Every election, I spend time consulting the Voters Guide and have found it to be a very useful tool in my voting process. There are a lot of "downstream elections" for state and county positions that are not well known or understood, and about which a voter would typically have very little information. Sometimes measures or initiatives are confusing; the guide provides context and information that is extremely helpful. I anticipate this is the case in all states. And yet, I was surprised to discover that only six states provide voters with this kind of detailed information.

And that got me curious - why don't more states do this? And, for those states that don't do this, how do voters get information on what they are voting on? What do voters do when they don't understand a measure, or they aren't familiar with a particular office/position, or they don't recognize a candidate?

It seems like a Voters Guide should be something that every voter in every state should receive. I was surprised to find out how rare it is. I am grateful to live in a state that ensures voters have resources to make an informed vote.