Is this voter guide not comprehensive enough? More information about the candidates is available online.
Is this voter guide not comprehensive enough? More information about the candidates is available online.
All Hawaii candidates running in any county or state races must file regular reports with the state Campaign Spending Commission. Those reports — the next one for this election is due Aug. 1 — are available online at nc.csc.hawaii.gov/cfspublic/ and by clicking on standard report at the top of the page.
That allows voters to search by a candidate’s name, then see how much money the candidate has received and spent. Individual donors are also listed, as is the amount those donors provided.
For Hawaii candidates running for federal office — that is, people in the U.S. Senate and U.S. House races — similar information is available on the Federal Election Commission website at fec.gov/disclosure.shtml. Again, search by candidate to get access to financial disclosure information.
The nonpartisan Project Vote Smart website, votesmart.org, also lists local, state and federal candidates, their public statements and their positions on key votes. More campaign finance information is also available here. The site also features a significant amount of information on presumptive Republican Presidential nominee Mitt Romney and President Barack Obama.
In addition to aggregating information about candidates at all levels, Project Vote Smart provides links to candidates’ official websites, Facebook pages, Twitter accounts and YouTube channels, as well as provides contact information for many campaigns.
Candidates who have served in federal offices have their records available at govtrack.us. The site also analyzes officials’ voting records, noting how conservative or liberal the votes have been. Opencongress.org also provides information about candidates who have held Congressional offices.
Looking to check out the claims made in a federal campaign ad? Factcheck.org might have the information you’re looking for. The site primarily focuses on the presidential race, verifying — or debunking — claims made in ads by the respective parties, candidates and their supporters (or opponents).
The League of Women Voters has a voter information website as well, vote411.org. This site provides information about candidates, as well as absentee voting and voter requirements.
If you’re curious about potential amendments to the Hawaii County Charter, watch for more information as the general election approaches in November. Those issues will not appear on the primary ballot.
Should you not have access to a computer, local public libraries have computers, with internet access, available to the public.