The Weekend Before Election Day: A Good Time to Make Sure You’re Fully Informed Before You Vote

The 2016 election is on Tuesday, November 8, 2016. More than 30 million citizens have already voted, taking advantage of early voting opportunities in many states. If, like me, you have not yet voted, I hope you’ll spend some time this weekend making sure you are fully informed before you head to the polls on Tuesday.

Ballotpedia, a non-partisan encyclopedia of American politics at all levels of government, has some very useful Election 2016 resources. This is a terrific one-stop-shop for folks who want a last minute primer on the 2016 election at the federal, state, and local level.

(1) To learn more about the candidates for President and Vice President and their positions on domestic, economic and foreign policy, check out this page.

(2) 34 of 100 seats in the United States Senate are up for reelection. Learn more about the Senate candidates running in your state here.

(3) Learn more about candidates for the House of Representatives here.

(4) A total of 93 state executive seats are scheduled for election in 23 states. All 13 types of executive offices will have an election in at least one state. Twelve states will elect governors, including a special election in Oregon, and ten states will elect attorneys general. Learn more here.

(5) 86 of 99 total state legislative chambers will hold elections on Tuesday. Learn more about these state legislative elections here.

(6) 162 statewide ballot measures have been certified for the ballot in 35 states. Learn more about ballot measures in your state here.

(7) There are many local ballot measures, as well. Check out this page to see what’s been proposed in your locality. 

(8) 63 state supreme courts and intermediate appellate courts across 34 states are holding elections in 2016. Learn more about your state judicial elections here.

(9) 39 of 50 states will hold elections for judges in general and limited jurisdiction trial courts. Learn more about these local judicial elections here.

(10) 46 of the country’s 100 largest cities are holding municipal elections this year. Learn more about your city’s municipal elections here.

(11) 644 of America’s largest school districts by enrollment are holding elections this year for 2,043 seats. These elections will take place in 38 states. These districts collectively educated a total of 17,177,187 students during the 2013-2014 school year—34% of all K-12 students in the United States. Learn more about school board elections where you live here.

(12) There are a number of political recall efforts in several states. Find out if elected officials in your state are being recalled here.