Join Lutheran Engagement and Advocacy in Nevada as we post a four part series on how to do Election Research.

Don’t just read it. Question it.

Election season means we are going to see a lot of campaign ads, mailers, social media posts, texts, and videos competing for our attention.

Being an informed voter means doing more than simply reading what a campaign puts in front of us. It means asking questions, checking the evidence, and learning how to recognize when information may be misleading.

Watch for Emotional Language

Some campaign messages are designed to make you feel something before they ask you to think.

Watch for language intended to create:

• Fear
• Anger
• Pride
• Urgency

For example:

“If my opponent wins, Nevadans will lose their homes.”

That is a powerful claim. But before accepting it, ask:

What evidence supports this claim?

Labels Instead of Evidence

Sometimes campaigns spend more time attacking a person than explaining their policy differences.

Instead of answering:

“What will I do?”

The message becomes:

“What kind of person is my opponent?”

When you encounter accusations or labels, ask:

What facts support this accusation? Is there evidence I can independently verify?

Big Promises, Few Details

• Freedom.
• Security.
• Family.
• Prosperity.
• Change.

These words can sound inspiring, but what do they actually mean?

Ask what specific policies a candidate is proposing and how they plan to accomplish them.

Statistics Can Mislead

A number isn’t automatically the whole truth.

Watch for:

• Missing context
• No source
• Misleading graphs or graphics
• Percentages without the actual totals
• Statistics that don’t explain the time period being measured

Ask:

Where did this number come from, and can I find the original source?

“Us vs. Them”

Some political messages suggest there are only two choices:

“If you’re not with us, you’re against us.”

Real public-policy questions are usually much more complicated.

When a message divides people into heroes and villains, insiders and outsiders, or “us” and “them,” ask what complexity might be missing.

Before you vote, ask yourself:

• Who created this?
• Where is the evidence?
• Can I verify it somewhere else?
• What information or context might be missing?
• Who benefits if I believe it?

Our democracy depends on more than casting a ballot.

An informed community is a powerful community.

Stay curious. Ask questions. Check the evidence.