aihwao

This question is somewhat off topic, but one that I think that you can nonetheless speak to: As a CA resident, I was mailed a ballot publication (the CA voter guide) with supposed arguments for and against different propositions for my area. I found the publication to be horribly written -- the arguments/rebuttals simply contradicted each other without offering citations of proposed legislation, and without offering reasonable basis to make an informed decision.

Your website offers succinct arguments that are summaries of propositions, but these are drawn from the voter guide itself. Take proposition 14 for instance (selling bonds to fund stem cell research). The voter is offered a choice between a)support prop 14 for health benefits and added on economic boost and b)vote NO because it costs too much, and the Center for Society and Genetics in Berkeley found that economic benefits would not be significant. But nowhere that I can see is there a reference to detailed studies of economic impacts. There are claims but no real substantial arguments. Where are the citations and links that we need to fully understand how arguments are made? [I'll ignore for the moment that one of the MDs/authors of arguments AGAINST the measure is a Catholic and declared, anti-abortion MD]

How can I, beyond simply writing the elections commission, work for more informed and informational voter guides?

Thank you -- I look less for editorializing than clear references to studies. For instance, in the example I cited, there are no citations in the voter's guide to the articles that are referenced ("xxxx says that the economic benefits are...") I just find the voter guides less than sufficient to make truly informed decisions.