Your View: Nonpartisan VOTE411 website provides ‘just the facts’
The VOTE411.org website is a reliable and unbiased tool that helps voters learn about upcoming federal, state, and local elections. Here's how VOTE411 can help you:
See Your Ballot: By entering your address, you can view your full and personalized ballot.
Hear from the Candidates: Get to know the candidates by reading about their positions on key issues.
Find Voting Details: Learn where, when, and how to vote, including information on your polling place or vote center.
The League of Women Voters has a great reputation for being thorough and fair. We make sure to contact every candidate and ask them to answer a set of questions specific to the office they are running for. This helps voters compare candidates and make informed decisions when they vote.
A team of five people from across the state created a list of questions for each office. These questions are designed to help voters get the information they need to make smart choices. For example, we might ask candidates for the United States Senate, "How do you think the U.S. should help with global challenges?" For the Pennsylvania Treasurer's office, we might ask, "How will you make the state treasurer's office more transparent to the public?" Candidates can answer these questions in their own words to give voters a clear idea of where they stand on important issues.
Because all candidates are invited and respond in their own words, Vote411.org is nonpartisan and objective.
All the answers are posted on VOTE411.org. This allows voters to compare the answers of different candidates side by side. If a candidate doesn't respond right away, our League members follow up with them. We send multiple emails, use social media, and make phone calls to ensure their answers are available for voters. If you see a candidate on your ballot who hasn't answered yet, you can contact them and ask them to respond. We even provide a guide to help you do this.
The answers from the candidates are shared in print and online all over the state. The Morning Call newspaper uses information from VOTE411 to create a print and digital voters guide that is tailored to inform voters in the Lehigh Valley. The League of Women Voters in Lehigh County and Northampton County is grateful for this strong partnership. Keep an eye out for the Voters Guide on October 17.
In 2022 and 2023, over 100,000 voters used VOTE411. We expect more than 200,000 voters across the state to use it in 2024. And this is just in Pennsylvania. VOTE411 is available in all 50 states, and the League of Women Voters has members in more than 700 communities nationwide.
Would you like to vote? First, you must register to vote. The deadline to register to vote in Pennsylvania is Oct. 21, 2024. You must be a U.S. citizen and a resident of Pennsylvania at least 30 days before the next election to be eligible to register to vote. Citizens who qualify can register online in just two minutes via the Vote411.org website. Second, decide whether you will vote in person on November 5th or you will vote by mail. To vote by mail, the Department of State requires that you deliver your completed application to the county office by 5 p.m. on October 29th and your completed ballot must be returned by 8 p.m. on November 5th. Be careful to follow the directions exactly to ensure your vote will be counted. To vote in person, locate your assigned polling place based on your home address. You may need to show identification to vote, so be prepared. Again, the Vote 411.org website includes information to help.
Being a part of the League of Women Voters has been a powerful way for us to exercise our civic responsibility and support our democracy. The League believes in a democracy where everyone has the desire, the right, the knowledge, and the confidence to participate. Working with people who are passionate about empowering voters and protecting our democracy has been a great experience. We hope our work with VOTE411 encourages all eligible voters to vote with knowledge and confidence, whether in person on November 5th or by mail-in ballot.
Julie Ambrose and Sarah Barrett are co-editors of the Voters Guide and are members of the League of Women Voters, Lehigh County. Ambrose resides in Allentown and Barrett resides in Northampton.
