Tips for voting

I have just become a member of the League of Women Voters, a national, nearly 100-year-old nonpartisan group of people dedicated to voter education and voter registration.

As a member, I plan to be part of a voter registration effort in our local high schools starting this fall and continuing all year. As a voter, I have always depended on the League’s Voters Guide to view candidate platforms and endorsements, and to help me make informed decisions regarding issues on the ballot. The Guide has been published for years, under coordination of the Washington State Elections Division and the League of Woman Voters.

However, in recent years I’ve wondered where in the world can the Voters Guide be (and is Waldo a better informed voter than I?). Voila! A paper Voters Guide is no longer published due to cost, but it can be accessed online by entering “Vote411” on your web browser.

As in past years, candidate and initiative information can be submitted for publication, although many campaigns seem unaware of this by looking at the current Vote411 guide. That’s my first voter tip.

My second tip is to scrutinize the fine print when looking at campaign ads. Although an ad may seem to originate from a candidate, it may in fact be published by an independent group. Remember to look closely to see if an ad is in fact endorsed by the candidate.

My third tip is that your vote may seem to you to be as important as a grain of sand, but all of the little grains of sand together stand up against hurricane-strength winds and the beach is still there in the new dawn. Take pride in yourself and your country and vote!

Janet Gillespie

Spokane