In the meantime, please feel free

The FEC can tell you.

If we dont see male kindergarten teachers or female engineers, we dont naturally associatemen andwomen with those jobs, and we apply different standards when hiring, promoting, and evaluating job performance. Ballotpedia is the digital encyclopedia of American politics and elections. Like PolitiFact, Ballotpedia is a nonprofit with a mission to educate and a commitment to neutrality. Earlier this year, Dawn had an opening for a high-level, high-visibility member of VMwares legal team.

Ask a real person any government-related question for free. To begin, youll need to understand what hiring prejudices are and how they operate.

But writing in a name does not mean that vote will count.

Make them work for it. Before you begin evaluating candidates or issues, youll need to know the races and ballot measures on which youll be voting. Think tank working to ensure a fair court system and legislative process, Partnership of more than 50 organizations working to keep courts fair and impartial, Real-time discussion of developments in the U.S. Supreme Court, The eHarmony of democracy, ISideWith.com matches you to candidates based on your views; more than 10 million people have found their "candidate match", Free campaign tool for tweeting at Congress, brought to you by HeadCount, Learn the status of legal battles around voting access, Stay up-to-date on laws that affect your ability to exercise your right to vote, Candidates positions on the issues, presented side-by-side for easy comparison, Access polls on the top issues of our time, Ben Cohen's humorous effort to stamp money out of politics, Hub for finding info on politicians' campaign contribution histories and voting records, Think tank working to counter the power of special interests by empowering voters and small donors, Works to protect and expand the right to vote, Advocates for tougher voting laws and exposing voter fraud, A relatively young civic rights organization focusing on voting rights, with an emphasis on people of color, Detailed info on polling place access, hours, time off to vote, and more, from the League of Women Voters, Daily, nationwide polls that politicians actually see help you check out how real people feel about major issues across the country, in real-time, Wildly popular political website that breaks down polls, news, blogs and election results, Taking a data nerd approach to politics and news, 538 may be the most influential and interesting content site on the Web, Committed to solving the world's problems through the power of knowledge, Pew is a force behind many intitiatives to better inform voters, Look up information about all contests and candidates on your ballot, Some of the best infographics and data visualizations on the Web, News reporting and analysis for and by the millennial generation, A daily look at where technology and politics intersect, Learn the rules and consequences of registering to vote as a student, Find out where you can--and can't--use your student ID as voter ID provided by the Fair Elections Legal Network, Legal updates and a handy map for figuring out your voter ID needs, Find out what, if any, ID you'll need on election day, Advocates for the rights of prisoners, with a focus on voting rights, Info on how voting processes and counting work by state in order to make sure that every vote gets counted, Founded by the "Hip-Hop Reverend" Lennox Yearwood, they run the "Respect My Vote" campaign, Assists service organization with voter registration drives, Their "Subway Canvass" is the inspiration behind National Voter Registration Day. Similar to PolitiFact, FactCheck.org monitors the factual accuracy of what is said by major U.S. political players in the form of TV ads, debates, speeches, interviews and news releases.. Here are six ways you can cut through the clutter and help yourself to become an informed voter: First: Explore the candidates websites to see where they stand on your hot-button issues.

The sample ballot may look exactly like the real one will. While it has expanded its focus to include topics beyond elections, like sports and science, its still the go-to site to learn what those political poll results really mean.

Research shows that the hiring process is impartial and unfair. Do You Have to Vote for the Party You're Registered With?

Case Study #2: Use software to simplify and standardize the vetting process A few years ago, Jill Koob, the vice president of sales solutions at Employer Flexible, the Houston-based human resources and recruitment company, needed to hire an operations analyst for the HR technology group. Also check out their off-shoot, PunditFact, which provides similar fact-checking of media personalities. Once you confirm that subscription, you will regularly A map of felon disenfranchisement laws across the U.S. A map showing the different challenges facing felon voters around the U.S. History and resources around felon disenfranchisement, Navigate your state's laws about voting after a felony conviction.

BallotReady.org offers voter guides by home address nationwide. Enter a candidates name in the Vote Smart search bar, and then choose to view the candidates bio, their voting record, positions on key issues, endorsements and ratings, speeches, or funding. Ask to speak to the candidate or her or his representative and get your questions answered about the issues that matter to you. ) or https:// means youve safely connected to the .gov website. The good news, however, is that there are many resources, both online and in your community, that can help you better understand whats at stake in state and local elections this seasonand many of these resources also provide information on congressional races, so you can be fully prepared when you cast your ballot. Will Elections be Free and Fair?

Learn more about your elected officials, state government, and how to vote in your state. The Contract Opportunities Search Tool on beta.SAM.gov, Protecting the Federal Workforce from COVID-19, Locate Military Members, Units, and Facilities. You can browse by month, person, issue, or location, or try reading through their Debunking False Stories Archives.

by Dena Bunis, AARP Bulletin, April 30, 2018. Ask the question you want to ask without adding any additional information.

These examples are based on actual League voters guides: What will you do to continue to support our recently thriving U.S. economy? And how important is it to you? If you do care about it, Bohnet recommends rating candidates as you would on their other skills during the interview. Awareness training is the first step to unraveling unconscious bias, because it allows employees to recognize that everyone possesses them and to identify their own. The idea is to create an organizational conversation about biases and help spark ideas on steps the organization as a whole can take to minimize them., Rework your job descriptions Job listings play an important role in recruiting talent and often provide the first impression of a companys culture.

It makes the process much more independent, she says.

Founding document of the U.S., in which the fourteenth and fifteenth amendments guarantee the right to vote, Vast digital archive from the largest library in the world, that also serves as the research arm of Congress, Checks up on the truthfulness of politicians' statements, and calls them out on lies, Learn more about the voting process and elections in general, Details on election law, races and ballot measures, campaign finance, and how-tos on citizen legislative action are all here, Info about voting, working at the polls on election day, dates and deadlines, and more, Brings nationwide voting information to the Web, "The Netflix of Voting" sends notifications about elections and can get you registered to vote, Info on your representatives, including biographies, voting records, issue positions, and campaign contributions. And how can you help others on your team do the same? The shorter the question, the better.

Several nonpartisan online resources will provide you with a comprehensive look at candidates backgrounds and stances on policies and issue areas.

Recent studies of societal cost in dollars of mass incarceration ha sshown the likelihood of being tangled in the criminal justice system. If so, check out our very own YouTube channel where we cover Windows, Mac, software, and apps, and have a bunch of troubleshooting tips and how-to videos. The good news is there are steps you can take to reduce unconscious biases.

Still, it is possible to find reasonably unbiased, nonpartisan election coverage if you know where to look. Find out in our Medicare Resource Center. Working-class men got the fewest callbacks. Would you support getting ri do fthe U.S. Department of Education? Because of the expertise the role required, Jill admits there may have been unintentional biases at play. If you like, you can also register for My VoteSmart, choose which candidates you want to track, and receive a daily email with any new data that VoteSmart learns about that person. They'll get you the answer or let you know where to find it. In light of the high gun related deaths in our state and the fact that nearly 75% of residents support common sense gun laws, would you support changing the laws to limit the availability of semi- automatic assault weapons and expanding background checks? Candidates want your vote. After she had done the initial rsum review of the pool (where she tried not to pay attention to name or address, which both can create some bias), she asked applicants to take an assessment through Affintus, a program that helps benchmark and rank candidates. Gino recommends managers look into providing workers with education and training on the topic. Christy hit it out of the park, she says. Theyll list the candidates for each officeand offer details on each ones experience and goals. Online Tech Tips is part of the AK Internet Consulting publishing family.

USAGov is the Official Guide to Government Information and Services, Government Agencies and Elected Officials, Congressional, State, and Local Elections, Find My State or Local Election Office Website, Inauguration of the President of the United States, Indian Tribes and Resources for Native Americans, Commonly Requested U.S. Laws and Regulations, How Laws Are Made and How to Research Them, Personal Legal Issues, Documents, and Family History, Presidents, Vice Presidents, and First Ladies, Car Complaints and Motor Vehicle Services, Advance Child Tax Credit and Economic Impact Payments - Stimulus Checks, COVID-19 Health Information, Vaccines, and Testing, COVID-19 Small Business Loans and Assistance, Financial Assistance for Food, Housing, and Bills, Government Response to Coronavirus, COVID-19, Passports and Travel During the COVID-19 Pandemic, Financial Assistance and Support Services, Disaster Financial Assistance for Workers and Small Business Owners, Disaster Financial Assistance with Food, Housing, and Bills, Financial Assistance Within Designated Natural Disaster Areas.

Experiment with the wording of job listings by removing adjectives closely associated with a particular gender. (5) Set diversity goals. But there are steps you can take to recognize and reduce these biases. You can view their latest election coverage, explore the Truth-o-Meters latest fact checks ranging from true to pants on fire, view scorecards on specific issues like immigration or taxes, and find scorecards on specific people. Some non-profit organizations produce unofficial sample ballots. I always want to see a diverse slate of candidates that includes at least two members of underrepresented groups, she says. They also used to be HeadCount's landlord (rent = free), No one registers more voters on college campuses than the PIRGs, A run down of laws that can strengthen or challenge your right to vote, Registration Deadlines And Election Dates. Be sure to track how well youre doing onthem. How would you reform the criminal justice system in our state? When it came time to winnow the pool and decide which applicants were worthy of an interview, Dawn reminded both the internal search committee and the outside recruiting firm of the teams diversity goals. These ballots may not look the same as what youll see when you vote but will provide the same information. You can bring your notes, a voter's guide, or a sample ballot into the voting booth. Ideally interviewers dont know the specifics about how well each candidate did in terms of the CV review and work sample, she adds.

Another good nonprofit, nonpartisan website to visit is OpenSecrets.org.

(2) Rework job descriptions.

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Ever since the Supreme Courts Citizens United decision, the amount of money invested in American elections has skyrocketed, ultimately reducing the influence of millions of voters across the country.

receive communications related to AARP volunteering.

I would sometimes ask clarifying questions to go deeper, but it was always the same questions, she says. It is vitally important that Leagues do not use biased questions in their voters guides.

Fourth:Find the campaign office and call or drop in. related to AARP volunteering. Learn English and Attend College in the U.S.

Green Cards and Permanent Residence in the U.S. U.S. Passport Fees, Facilities or Problems. You need to look at what each person brings to the table. Again, software programs that blind the process for you are useful, says Gino.

Local party offices, public librariesandother community organizations usually have information on such events. You will be asked to register or log in. They cause us to make decisions in favor of one person or group to the detriment of others. In the workplace, this can stymie diversity, recruiting, promotion, and retention efforts. Left unchecked, biases can also shape a company or industrys culture and norms, says Iris Bohnet, director of the Women and Public Policy Program at the Harvard Kennedy School, and the author of What Works: Gender Equality by Design. HeadCount does not endorse, support or coordinate with any political party or candidates for elected office, or take positions on any ballot initiatives.

Control for your personal feelings about a particular candidate by giving likability a numerical score. Second:If one of the candidates is an incumbent in the House of Representatives or Senate, go toCongress.govand research their voting records, find out what issues they concentrate on, and how to contact them.

Do you support a pathway to citizenship for these individuals?

A locked padlock

Elections take place every year, and 2022 is no exception. Please enable Javascript in your browser and try A vast body of research shows that the hiring process is biased and unfair. Why or why not? Why dont you think shes a good fit? And if they say, I cant put my finger on it, I ignore it. These are hallmarks of unbiased reporting.

It is easy for bias to trickle in when such a process is not decided a priori..

You can get a sense of a candidates background and position on various issues by looking at their campaigns website. Find state-specific voting information about deadlines, polling places, registration, and more.

Providing voters with the information they are looking for to make an informed decision is our #1 priority.

And, do you favor the use of private prisons if it can be seen as a cheaper alternative to state run prisons? And then I gave each answer a rating on a scale of one to five., At last, Jill had it narrowed down to two finalists a woman and a man. Dont provide background information or opinions. Ask each candidate the same set of defined questions, and use an interview scorecard to grade the answers.

Factcheck.org,which is run by the Annenberg Public Policy Center at the University of Pennsylvania, keeps track of candidates statements and claims.

Another way to learn about a candidate is to ask your neighbors, coworkers, friends, and family members.

(3) Give a work sample test. Please explain why you do or do not support changing the laws to limit the availability of semi- automatic weapons. Asking candidates to solve work-related problems or partake in a skill test yields important insights.

Click the button below to subscribe! These goals are sometimes controversial for companies because they can undermine the people who are hired in those categories or lead to a backlash from the traditionally advantaged groups. Data can help you get buy-in.

We specified that candidates needed to have been practicing law for a certain number of years, have served a certain amount of time in government, and have a law degree from a top school, she says.

These sources can tell you about candidates public appearances, their recent statements to prospective voters and the media, and how theyre viewed by other members of the community. Have you ever wondered how much money a presidential campaign is raising, what theyre spending that money on, or how much cash they have on hand right now? Members save 30% on a 1-year subscription, Members save 5% on a monthly subscription, Exclusive Walgreens Cash rewards for members, Members can save 50% on prescription lenses. Because some websites may have more comprehensive information for your desired locality, candidate, or issue than others, it is best to use multiple sources to gain as much insight as possible.

This election research guide will help ensure that you and members of your community are leaving no power on the table.

In the fall of 2016, it was brought to our attention that some Leagues questions for their voters guides were eithe rbiased or leading int heir wording, potentially undermining our organizations ability to produce quality voter engagement programs and partnerships. Her first order of business was to write the job description. Reviewing them before Election Day can help you decide who to vote for. Software programs that highlight stereotypically gendered words can help counteract this effect, says Bohnet.

A skill test forces employers to critique the quality of a candidates work versus unconsciously judging them based on appearance, gender, age, and even personality, she says.

www.aarp.org/volunteer. And yet, she says, be careful when you broach the idea with colleagues.

This is why Jill relies on software to do much of the initial vetting in her hiring decisions. Your neighbors may offer new perspectives on a candidate or issue that you might have not previously considered. Voter guides provide background information on the candidates and ballot measures. Please return to AARP.org to learn more about other benefits. to search for ways to make a difference in your community at Maggie Marystone is a freelance technology writer, human rights worker, and storyteller based in Chicago. Run by the Center for Responsive Politics, OpenSecrets.org tracks money in U.S. politics and its effect on elections and public policy.. Biased and leading questions are those that are written in such away that one answer appears to be favored over another: These questions often provide extra information that may influence the respondent in one way or another or the readers view of the respondents answer. She recommends that at the end of every hiring process, leaders track how well theyve done against the diversity goals they set out to achieve. This also encourages those involved in the hiring and in other parts of the company to keep diversity and equality top of mind.. So I say, Tell me exactly what you mean.

Many states require that write-in candidates file paperwork before the election.

HeadCount provides voter registration assistance on a strictly nonpartisan basis to any U.S. citizen age 18 or over without regard to political affiliation, race, religion, or age.

There was no competition. She asked both for a work sample, which was standard practice on her team. I didnt think about it, but I am sure that subconsciously I thought we might see a predominantly male applicant pool, she says. For that particular job, Dawn and her team ended up hiring a minority woman candidate. app from PolitiFact, the Pulitzer Prize-winning fact-checking site. Sometimes I hear feedback like, She isnt a good cultural fit an important but squishier measure of a candidates worth, Dawn says.

Let the candidates answer the question as best they can, based off the question youre asking.

Theyll explain any ballot measures, which are specific questions or issues that you can approve or reject.

One of their goals is to expose disproportionate or undue influence on public policy. Use this site to search how money plays a part in campaigns, super PACs, and lobbying.

Changing one word in a question can make the question drastically different.

again.

Give a work sample test Work sample tests that mimic the kinds of tasks the candidate will be doing in the job are the best indicators of future job performance, according to Bohnet. The goal is for the interview to become a third independent data point., Consider likability (if it matters to you) Its natural to gravitate toward people with whom you instantly gel. Rather than striving for neutral election coverage, AllSides.com endeavors to expose people to information and ideas from all sides of the political spectrum so they can better understand the world and each other. Visit this site to view news stories organized in three categories: news from the left, news from the center, and news from the right.

On Resumes, an Upper-Class Background Benefits Men but Not Women.

They say, Most of us at Vote Smart are not paid and those who are receive only minimal salaries to cover living expenses.

What will you do to support a vibrant economy across the U.S.?

Did you enjoy this tip?

Javascript must be enabled to use this site. The fact is Latisha and Jamal do not get the same number of callbacks as Emily and Greg. By giving likability a score, youre making it more controllable., Set diversity goals Diversity goals are worthwhile, says Bohnet. This encourages others in the organization to keep equality top of mind. However, upon closer inspection, LWVEF was able to find many questions tha twere either biased or leading in many Leaguev oters guides.

Even subtle word choices can have a strong impact on the application pool, says Gino. On the other hand, structured interviews, whereby each candidate is asked the same set of defined questions, standardize the interview process and minimize bias by allowing employers to focus on the factors that have a direct impact on performance. Bohnet suggests using an interview scorecard that grades candidates responses to each question on a predetermined scale. Regional newspapers often produce voter guides, as do issue-specific organizations. Third:Attend campaign events, including town halls (or participate inthem byphone or online) and informal coffees and other stops the candidates might be making in your community. Here are eight great websites for fact-filled and (arguably) bias-free election coverage.

Use a software program that blinds that information and ensures a level playing field. Please explain why you do or do not favor the use of private prisons over state run prisons. Please enable JavaScript in your web browser; otherwise some parts of this site might not work properly. You can also manage your communication preferences by updating your account at anytime.

Weve compiled an index of some of the major elected positions in state and local government and their functions. Share sensitive information only on official, secure websites. Owned by the nonprofit Poynter Institute for Media Studies, PolitiFact describes itself as a nonpartisan fact-checking website to sort out the truth in American politics..

PolitFact is transparent about its funding and methodology, carefully explaining how they choose which claims they fact-check and how they determine ratings. Copyright 2007-2022 Online Tech Tips.com, LLC All Rights Reserved. Christy got the job and has since been promoted. You can also find their Media Bias Ratings to help you to easily identify different perspectives so you can get the full picture and think for yourself. Search by issue, or check out their dictionary which discusses how people of different political persuasions define a certain term or issue. If you're looking for more information on candidates and representatives, check out our favorite non-partisan voter guides below.

Then you can either remove the words and replace them with something more neutral, or strive to strike a balance by using the same number of gendered descriptors and verbs. You can inform yourself through your local newspapers, radio, and television news.

Official websites use .gov Only ask one question at a time. You can save your choices online and print or email your personalized ballot to bring with you to the polls.

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