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2017
Oct. 31, 2017, 4:32 p.m.
It’s time to stop looking at our time as the era of “fake news” and start looking at it as the era of “fact-checking.” It can be difficult to distinguish fact from fiction in the digital age, so it is our responsibility to not always take headlines and viral memes at face value. We at Vote Smart want to help arm you with the tools and resources to do this.
Misinformation online is abundant. Oxford University found that in 2016 “Twitter users got more misinformation, polarizing and conspiratorial content than professionally produced news.” That means that more people read manipulation and falsehoods than facts.
Sensationalized, misleading, or simply false headlines flooded our news feeds in 2016 and 2017, and Vote Smart is here to help you weed out the garbage. By browsing our database of public statements, key votes, and more, you can see if a published claim is truth or trash. We also provide you with the ability to fact-check politicians to see if they have followed up their words with action.
Sept. 22, 2017, 6:48 p.m.
Did you know that you may have to vote again in your primary if no candidate gets more than half the votes? If not, you may want to find out if this applies to you.
For example, there’s been such a close race for Jeff Sessions’ vacant Senate seat in Alabama that the Republican primary in August did not determine a winner. A primary runoff between the top two Republican candidates, Roy Moore and Luther Strange, is scheduled for September 26.
In over 115 races that Vote Smart has already tracked in 2017, we have encountered other unconventional election practices that voters may not be aware of. Earlier this month, Mississippi held a nonpartisan primary election for its State House Dist. 102 seat that will be determined by a runoff election in October.
Most Americans participate in a first-past-the-post system where winners in primaries and general elections are decided by a “plurality”—the candidate with the most votes wins. Several cities and states across the nation, however, have adopted alternative election methods. Read on for a brief explanation of the unique election practices that are currently used at the state and federal levels.
Sept. 5, 2017, 9:59 p.m.
From "fire and fury", to "locked and loaded", and most recently "All options are on the table", the President has had some tough and controversial words for Kim Jong-Un and North Korea after several Intercontinental Ballistic Missile (ICBM) tests and now a hydrogen bomb test. Some critics worry that these words have worsened the rising tensions with North Korea; other critics simply worry that Twitter may not be the best outlet to issue these statements. Those who defend him feel that Trump’s words should reflect North Korea’s actions.
While members of Congress have debated the President’s statements, sanctions on North Korea have been strongly supported in both the Capitol and the White House in 2017. Following nuclear tests, the death of Otto Warmbier, and sanctions on North Korea, we’ve seen that tensions between the US and North Korea have only continued to snowball.
This snowball has been rolling for far longer than 2017, however--while Americans threw literal snowballs celebrating New Year’s Day, Kim Jong-un issued a statement about his nuclear plans--setting the tone for the rest of the year. Skip forward 6 months and several missile tests and we arrive at another holiday--the 4th of July. As Americans launched fireworks in their backyards, North Korea celebrated by testing its first ICBM.
To visualize the series of events that followed, we have compiled a timeline below outlining the rising tensions between the US and North Korea since the launch and the statements made and actions taken as a result.
July 10, 2017, 7:21 p.m.
Republicans win five of the seven races in June, seats remain virtually unchanged. President Trump talks foreign policy.
April 5, 2017, 2:34 p.m.
Congress has been very busy in early 2017. Read further to find out what is happening on both sides of the aisle!
2016
Oct. 7, 2016, 3 p.m.
Voting smart can require enormous effort or minimal effort, but to vote smart takes effort.
Sept. 9, 2016, 3 p.m.
Widely considered the most significant financial regulatory reform since the Great Depression, the Dodd-Frank Wall Street Reform and Consumer Protection Act (Dodd-Frank) instantly became a debated political battle in Washington.
July 28, 2016, 2:07 p.m.
In the past year and a half, several states have passed laws changing the age at which one can legally smoke cigarettes and other tobacco products.
June 1, 2016, 2:11 p.m.
Heard of Common Core, but not sure what it is? Curious about how states receive federal funding for education? Below, we break down this hot-button issue, and provide the 2016 presidential candidates’ stances towards Common Core......
May 17, 2016, 4:21 p.m.
Multiple “religious freedom” bills are currently capturing the attention of state legislatures across the country. “Religious freedom” bills are proposed legislation that call for religious organizations, businesses, and individuals to be protected from penalties for declining to provide services to individuals whose lifestyle conflicts with their sincerely held religious beliefs.
2015
Oct. 29, 2015, 6:59 p.m.
Did you miss our Live-Tweet event for the Republican Debate? You can get a recap of all we did here!
Feb. 13, 2015, 7:27 p.m.
Sign up for our monthly E-Newsletter here.
2014
Oct. 29, 2014, 2:59 p.m.
Preferring to protect themselves from opposition research, only 20% of the 1282 candidates for Congress were willing to provide voters or media with direct answers to the issue questions on Vote Smart’s National Political Courage Test.
Oct. 27, 2014, 6:07 p.m.
Today, Vote Smart released the results of the National Political Courage Test to VoteEasy at VoteSmart.org, giving New York voters an invaluable resource for identifying their best political match November 4th. Eleven of the congressional, state legislative and gubernatorial candidates passed the 2014 Political Courage Test.
Oct. 27, 2014, 5:56 p.m.
Today, Vote Smart released the results of the National Political Courage Test to VoteEasy at VoteSmart.org, giving Nebraska voters an invaluable resource for identifying their best political match November 4th. Six congressional, state legislative and gubernatorial candidates passed the 2014 Political Courage Test.
Oct. 27, 2014, 5:48 p.m.
Today, Vote Smart released the results of the National Political Courage Test to VoteEasy at VoteSmart.org, giving Kansas voters an invaluable resource for identifying their best political match November 4th. Twenty-one congressional, state legislative and gubernatorial candidates passed the 2014 Political Courage Test.
Oct. 27, 2014, 5:22 p.m.
Today, Vote Smart released the results of the National Political Courage Test to VoteEasy at VoteSmart.org, giving Oklahoma voters an invaluable resource for identifying their best political match November 4th. Nine of the congressional, state legislative and gubernatorial candidates passed the 2014 Political Courage Test.
Oct. 27, 2014, 5:07 p.m.
Today, Vote Smart released the results of the National Political Courage Test to VoteEasy at VoteSmart.org, giving South Dakota voters an invaluable resource for identifying their best political match November 4th. Nine of the congressional, state legislative and gubernatorial candidates passed the 2014 Political Courage Test.
Oct. 27, 2014, 4:41 p.m.
Today, Vote Smart released the results of the National Political Courage Test to VoteEasy at VoteSmart.org, giving North Dakota voters an invaluable resource for identifying their best political match November 4th. Five of the congressional and state legislative candidates passed the 2014 Political Courage Test.
Oct. 27, 2014, 4:18 p.m.
Today, Vote Smart released the results of the National Political Courage Test to VoteEasy at VoteSmart.org, giving Alaska voters an invaluable resource for identifying their best political match November 4th. Thirteen congressional, state legislative and gubernatorial candidates passed the 2014 Political Courage Test.
Oct. 22, 2014, 6:23 p.m.
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Sept. 26, 2014, 7:52 p.m.
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Sept. 15, 2014, 8:17 p.m.
Today, Vote Smart announces the unveiling of its powerful new tools that provide every citizen interactive, instant access to the facts on any politician, on any issue, at any time.
Sept. 9, 2014, 9:10 p.m.
Three prominent political research experts, Brooks Jackson, Ted McConnell, and Sheila Krumholz, have joined the board of Vote Smart (VoteSmart.org), the leading non-partisan national research organization focused on politicians and elections.
Sept. 7, 2014, 8:27 p.m.
Vote Smart (VoteSmart.org), the leading non-partisan national research organization focused on politicians and elections, announced a series of massive additions to its factual database on over 150,000 current and former elected officials and candidates.
Aug. 8, 2014, 9:47 p.m.
We are only a few weeks away from announcing the biggest event in Vote Smart history. It will transform the way you use our data and the way you view candidates and elections in the future.
Feb. 6, 2014, 6:31 p.m.
Sign up for our monthly E-Newsletter here.
2013
Dec. 17, 2013, 12:52 a.m.
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Dec. 12, 2013, 8:12 p.m.
On November 21, 2013, the Senate voted 52-48 to amend the rules regarding confirmation of executive and judicial nominees.
Nov. 6, 2013, 1:22 a.m.
It's Election Day! Well, for many of you it is.
June 18, 2013, 1:15 a.m.
Vote Smart first partnered with the Annette Strauss Institute for Civic Life in 2011, and they have graciously housed our office at the University of Texas, Austin since then. Our partnership has been going so well that, for the first time, we have been able to establish an intern program during the summer months, where college students can experience our Key Votes Department through researching bills and compiling voting records.
April 26, 2013, 6:25 p.m.
Sign up for our monthly e-newsletter here...
April 19, 2013, 10:31 p.m.
After Wednesday's vote in the Senate on President Obama's proposed gun bill, the Internet was rife with mixed emotions.
March 29, 2013, 3:28 p.m.
The Keystone XL Pipeline: it's been dominating headlines for what seems like forever...
March 29, 2013, 3:19 p.m.
Click here to sign up for our monthly e-newsletter...
Feb. 28, 2013, 4:27 p.m.
Immigration: it's an issue that's been on the minds of a lot of prominent people involved in politics lately.
Feb. 18, 2013, 11:52 p.m.
Mike Johanns, the republican senior senator from Nebraska, won't seek reelection in 2014.
Jan. 31, 2013, 5:56 p.m.
Recently, something called an “assault weapons ban” has been making major news.
Jan. 28, 2013, 6:40 p.m.
With new technology comes new debates and in 2012 many state legislatures attempted to regulate a relatively new industry they did not know much about.
2012
Nov. 28, 2012, 5:32 p.m.
The North Carolina General Assembly has biennial sessions with a regular long session in odd years and a short session held on even years.
Nov. 21, 2012, 7:14 p.m.
Read our November Common Ground E-Newsletter here...
Nov. 19, 2012, 10:23 p.m.
Over the past few years, the country has witnessed an abundance of legislation on both the state and national levels regarding same-sex marriage.
Oct. 29, 2012, 8:07 p.m.
A 20-year study of over 15,000 congressional candidates and their willingness to answer questions on the major issues
Sept. 28, 2012, 9:04 p.m.
Sign up for our monthly E-Newsletter here.
Sept. 28, 2012, 8:42 p.m.
Find out if your state-level candidates have shown courage in their 2012 campaigns.
Aug. 16, 2012, 9:35 p.m.
For those of you living under rocks, Mitt Romney announced his running mate last Saturday – Wisconsin congressman Paul Ryan. You've probably heard a fair amount about Ryan, probably about his time spent as chair of the House Budget committee, and the budget proposal he crafted. But what about the information voters really want to know, like the fact that he's a fan of Monty Python*? At votesmart.org you can find out all you need to know (and more) about both vice-presidential contenders.
Aug. 1, 2012, 3:48 p.m.
With the the 2010 Citizens United v. Federal Elections Commission Supreme Court ruling, parts of four decades of campaign finance regulation were ruled unconstitutional.
July 27, 2012, 4:16 p.m.
The United States House Appropriations Committee recently approved the Fiscal Year 2013 Interior-Environment Appropriations Funding Bill.
July 16, 2012, 4:41 p.m.
For more information on our National Intern Program, click here.
June 27, 2012, 2:30 p.m.
The Supreme Court are expected to announce their decision on the constitutionality of The Patient Protection and Affordable Care Act of 2010 this week. Read some recent comments on this issue here.
June 25, 2012, 8:32 p.m.
We threw the spotlight on one of our new interns, Sean, and asked him a few questions about his time, so far, here at the Great Divide Ranch...
For more information on our National Internship Program, click here.
June 12, 2012, 6:53 p.m.
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June 12, 2012, 2:11 p.m.
The February 26 shooting of Trayvon Martin has ignited a media firestorm surrounding so-called “stand your ground” or “castle doctrine” laws in the United States.
May 23, 2012, 8:24 p.m.
Every election year, Project Vote Smart uses the Political Courage Test (PCT) to measure the willingness of candidates to provide their positions on key issues. Find out now if your candidates are currently being tested.
May 17, 2012, 6:17 p.m.
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April 24, 2012, 2:45 p.m.
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Feb. 28, 2012, 3:38 p.m.
Legislators describe the difficulties of choosing sides in contentious and emotionally-charged debate.
Jan. 31, 2012, 6:59 p.m.
It's time for every thinking American to saddle up and fight for that most precious component in our struggle to self govern, our right to know.
Jan. 11, 2012, 9:57 p.m.
It was unclear what might be done to ensure that citizens had at least one independent source to easily acquire accurate information, but what we eventually decided upon remains the heart of Project Vote Smart today.
2011
Dec. 8, 2011, 10:17 p.m.
"...an increase in the amount of tomato paste required for the paste to be considered a serving of vegetables." Do you agree?
Dec. 7, 2011, 5:25 p.m.
There is one issue that only pops up every decade with noticeable consequences, and that issue is redistricting.
Nov. 29, 2011, 8:52 p.m.
The inability of the Joint Select Committee on Deficit Reduction, or 'Supercommittee', to come to an agreement to reduce the United States' government debt by over one trillion dollars has prompted a significant response by both Democrats and Republicans.
Nov. 22, 2011, 8:19 p.m.
The U.S. Congress Joint Select Committee on Deficit Reduction was established with the goal of improving both the short and long term financial outlook of the US and reducing the deficit “...by at least $1,500,000,000 over the period of fiscal years 2012 to 2021” But they missed their deadline...
Nov. 21, 2011, 6:44 p.m.
Our Legislative Research Department’s primary responsibility of tracking legislation at the state and federal levels has been so well-received that we are thinking about expanding to other areas that might be useful to voters, but we need your input.
Nov. 14, 2011, 4:33 p.m.
Research intern Julie Bissinger takes a closer look at what the 2012 presidential candidates have said recently on the issue of health care.
Oct. 17, 2011, 5:22 p.m.
“It shouldn’t take courage for a politician to complete a survey regarding positions on issues. Yet seemingly it does.” – South Bend Tribune
2010
2009
July 29, 2009, 8:31 p.m.
2008
May 24, 2008, 2:17 a.m.
Feb. 1, 2008, 5:30 a.m.
2007
Dec. 6, 2007, 6:03 a.m.
Nov. 22, 2007, 6:53 a.m.
Nov. 2, 2007, 2:44 a.m.
Oct. 25, 2007, 3:08 a.m.
