Environmental protection advocacy nonprofit Defend Our Future and other organizers who hone their focuses on single issues are encouraging voters to heavily consider choosing officials on Nov. 6 with those topics in mind.
Naturally, voters are passionate about some topics more than others, and therefore may make their decisions based on single issues like education and health care. If you are a single-issue voter, however, take the time to understand all aspects of each candidate’s platform before casting your ballot.
A single-issue vote should still be fully informed. If a candidate pledges to improve public transportation, for example, but will fund the project by making cuts to education, is that worth supporting? If you believe so, exercise your right to select the person you deem most fit for office, but be aware of the potential consequences.
In the United States, though, the electorate lacks knowledge of basic information, much less complex issues. Before the 2014 midterm elections, less than half of people could correctly identify which parties controlled the House of Representatives and Senate, according to the Annenberg Public Policy Center of the University of Pennsylvania.
On this upcoming Election Day and on ones beyond, we urge you to vote for candidates who reflect your values and beliefs. After all, the people we elect serve us, their constituents who vote them into office and demand they uphold their campaign promises. But while doing so, be fully aware of how a candidate could affect your district, state or the country.
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