Your Vote Matters! A great resource in the state of Nebraska is the VIP - Voter Information Project
www.voterinformation.org which works to be, "A reliable place to acquire non-partisan information for Nebraska elections - including candidate responses in their own words, ballot issue explanations, and professional input on judges." Or simply put, "if it's on the ballot, we cover it."
There is a question on their survey this year that might help you understand a candidate's position on your firearm rights.
1) Candidates - for EVERY office (except President)
As much as possible, volunteers who have that candidate’s name on their ballot contact them to ask them to answer the questionnaire. Records of contact efforts provide voters with information from which to draw their own conclusions about the candidate's potential availability to constituents. [Click on the little red box labeled "Contact attempts" under the candidate's name and party.]
The questions for the candidates, designed to learn about their "why" behind the "what" of their views, appear in categories, one of which is "Constitutional Issues". One of those questions is, "[GUN REGISTRATION] On a scale of 1 to 5, with 1 being no gun registration and 5 being federal registration of gun ownership, what do you recommend? Describe your reasoning, if desired." Answers range from, " I align with #1. We do not need more gun laws. Instead, we need to enforce the laws currently on the books...." to "There should be federal registration of gun ownership. We need to protect children from being at risk of school shootings." That contrast can be seen in one race:
https://www.voterinformation.org/races/general-2020/united-states-house-of-representatives-district-2-/This election includes a new feature (in several races) that allows the voters to look at a "job description" of the office the candidate seeks. Does that candidate have the qualifications for that office?
Note: In races where a candidate has no opposition or no volunteer appeared in the area, at least party affiliation is provided. Currently, target counties include Douglas, Sarpy, Cass, Lancaster, Washington, Seward, and Dodge Counties. Often races in those areas also supply information for other Counties - for example, the Southeast Community College Board of Governors At Large position appears on the ballot in 15 counties in the Southeast part of the state. But in a target county, voters find the information on every race on the ballot from Weed Board to School Board to City Council, etc.
2) Ballot Issues
The information on ballot issues attempts to translate from "legalese" into English, providing some background and reporting what the opposers and supporters say.
3) Judges
Average law-abiding citizens generally have no reason to know the judges on the ballot, and yet law-abiding citizens are who vote for them. VIP provides who appointed the judge, the judge's party affiliation, selected information from the Nebraska Bar Association evaluation of judges AND where possible, personal comments from lawyers, law enforcement personnel, and other professionals. [We need more connections for this area across the state!]
Every election is critical. Several years ago a young man ran for County Commissioner and served a term or two. Then he ran for City Council. After serving there a term or two he ran for Mayor. Then came Governor, and after a short time in DC in the president's cabinet, he ran for Senate. Mike Johanns! Who we elect in the "little" offices affects the future.
You could make a difference in at least 3 ways
1) Use the site for your own help in voting informed - and tell others about it! Like voterinformation.org on Facebook. Say something about VIP on your Facebook page.
2) Be a candidate connector and/or recruiter - it's actually not too late, even now! If a candidate on your ballot, though contacted, did not answer, in many cases you will find the candidate's contact information in the "contact attempts" box under the candidate's name and party. Give them a call and say something like, "Your name is on my ballot. I noticed you have not answered the questionnaire for Voter Information Project. Would you be able to do that in the next couple of days? I understand there's a little box on the top right of the
www.voterinformation.org home page that says "Candidate Access." and/or Be a recruiter in the future. Volunteers, willing to behave with non-partisan demeanor, can meet the need for working in other counties.
3) Help NOW by providing connections with law enforcement personnel (or others) who might be willing to provide anonymous information concerning the judges.
Will you join their team? Email Kathy@voterinformation.org.
