Amidst character attacks and fake news, finding objective facts on any presidential candidate can be a grueling task. After an amusing yet unproductive presidential debate, giving up on educating yourself is an easy road to go down. But this is an all-hands-on-deck election, and an accurate knowledge base is crucial. Here are ways to ensure you can be confident in your stance by understanding what values you are advocating for. 

Visit VOTE411

Showing you both state and national statistics, events, and candidate information, VOTE411 helps you understand the particulars of your ballot, and how to align yourself with the best candidate for you. Presenting an easily digestible interface it is a great one-stop info hub for voters young, old, and everything in between. 

Get news from non-partisan resources

Confirmation bias clouds the judgment of even the best of us. News is increasingly accurate when sourced from a non-partisan resource, meaning it does not cater to the confirmation biases of any specific party. One gaining popularity is the website AllSides, a website marking itself as an unbiased news site, currently covering the election. 

Also—Your vote is confidential!

Social and family pressure, whether it is from peers or parents, can load on the guilt, making us feel as though we are betraying others by making free choices. It is important to remember only you know who you voted for. Independence in our decisions is important in general- but in a critical election, the right decision is always your own. 

Becoming informed not only benefits you but we are all obliged to represent ourselves as a population. Making informed political decisions keeps the government running. Remember, one vote is all anyone gets, so everyone’s vote matters. Your vote is your power!

For those under the age of 18, there are always alternative ways to make your voice heard. VOTE!