With election season kicking into full gear, one website seeks to inform voters in southwest Florida and beyond.
Founded in 2006 by the League of Women Voters, VOTE411.org is referred to as a one-stop shop for nonpartisan election information. Citizens who enter their address into the website are directed to a list of local races they are able to vote in and all about the candidates running for the position.
STARTING TODAY
- Navigate to WGCU.org and access a statewide Public Media Voter's Guide with links to issues and candidates including the Vote411.org link.
VOTE411 allows candidates to self-report their views on key issues and their campaign platforms. Southwest Florida’s chapters of the League of Women voters have been encouraging local candidates to fill out their VOTE411 questionnaires for about a year in preparation for the Aug. 20 primary.
Laura Hansen Reynolds with the Collier League of Women Voters explains what the website provides on top of candidate information.
“In addition to just finding out what's on your ballot, you can get support for voter registration, it has the deadlines for mail in ballots, for early voting and Election Day voting, and can help you find your polling place locations and hours,” she said. “If you're a first time voter, there's a checklist of things that you should think about and have ready, and if there are debates or forums in your local area, that information is also on VOTE411.”
Southwest Florida’s 2022 voting numbers dipped due to Hurricane Ian, making the website important for re-engaging the region’s voters.
Chapters of the League of Women Voters nationwide have made reaching candidates a top priority. The nonpartisan organization’s mission walks arm in arm with VOTE411, a sentiment echoed by Diane Preston Moore, president of the group’s Collier chapter.
“Our mission is empowering voters and defending democracy, and there is nothing more central to democracies than voting. VOTE411 is central to our mission of informing voters,” she said.
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