Use your official sample ballot to confirm what is actually on your ballot, then evaluate any voter guide by checking its publisher, purpose, method, date, geographic coverage, and links to evidence. For claims about a ballot measure, compare the guide with the official ballot summary and, when legal or fiscal details matter, the measure text and official analysis.
Start by confirming what is on your ballot
A sample ballot and a voter guide do different jobs. A sample ballot identifies the elections, candidates, and measures on your ballot; a voter guide adds background about candidates and measures. Use the official sample ballot for your address and election to establish which contests apply to you. USAGov explains the distinction and points voters toward election-office resources: USAGov: Sample ballot.
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Then compare the guide’s coverage with that ballot. A nonprofit or news organization may explain issues well but omit a local contest, while a statewide publication may not cover county or city measures. Check local election-office instructions if you plan to bring notes or a guide into a polling place; rules vary.
Check who made the guide and what it is for
Find the publisher’s name, its stated mission, and whether it endorses candidates or measures. A government publication, newsroom explainer, civic group’s questionnaire, campaign mailer, and advocacy organization’s recommendations have different purposes. “Official” tells you something about who issued a document; “nonpartisan” describes a stated approach. Neither label makes every claim self-verifying.
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Ask how the guide gathered its material. Did candidates answer a questionnaire? Are their responses quoted or summarized? Does the publisher independently check factual assertions? A candidate response can accurately show what that candidate said without establishing that the statement is true. Texas Midterms Matter offers a non-government checklist of questions about a guide’s publisher, mission, and information-gathering method: Voter guide evaluation.
Separate ballot language, explanation, and advocacy
For a measure, keep four things distinct: the official wording, an official summary, arguments from supporters or opponents, and the guide’s own explanation. Look for clear attribution. Statements such as “the measure will protect services” or “the measure will increase costs” are arguments or predictions unless supported by evidence and identified as such.
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A guide can be useful even when it advocates a position, provided you recognize that purpose and evaluate its evidence accordingly. Rather than dismissing a guide simply because you disagree with its conclusion, look for concrete warning signs: an undisclosed publisher, no stated method, selective coverage, unattributed claims, or assertions that cannot be traced to primary material.
Check the date and geographic scope
Confirm that the guide is for the correct election and has not been replaced by a newer version. Also check which jurisdiction and contests it covers. For example, California’s 2026 state voter guide covers federal and statewide candidates and statewide measures, while county guides address local information. The state guide is for the November 3, 2026 general election and carries a certificate dated August 10, 2026. These details illustrate why a state guide may not answer a question about a local measure; they are not a national rule. See the California Voter Information Guide and the state’s explanation of state and county voter guides.
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Verify claims about what a measure does
- Find the official measure materials. Start at the relevant state or local election authority. Read the official ballot title or summary, and consult the measure’s actual text when a claim depends on legal details. California’s official guide is one example of a jurisdiction-specific resource, not a universal format: California Voter Information Guide.
- Identify what would change. If the proposal amends a statute or constitution, compare the proposed text with the existing law. Ask which provisions change and which remain in effect instead of relying only on campaign descriptions.
- Trace fiscal claims to an official analysis where one exists. Check who prepared it, its assumptions, and the period it covers. Availability and document names differ by jurisdiction; there is no single nationwide format established for fiscal analyses.
- Compare the guide’s wording with the source. Note whether it presents a fact, an estimate, an interpretation, or an argument. If a guide does not link to evidence, search for the named primary document through the election authority.
Use the right authority for election rules and campaign money
Election procedures and disclosure requirements depend on jurisdiction. Florida, for example, has a 2026 law that defines certain advocacy mail as a voter guide and requires a specified disclaimer and “Voter Guide” marking for covered material circulated before or on election day. The law also restricts presenting a guide as an official political-party publication without written permission. This is a Florida-specific example, not a nationwide standard; check the relevant state’s law. See the Florida Statutes, section 106.143 and section 106.1435.
For claims about who funded a campaign, consult the election authority that administers disclosures for that contest. Federal Election Commission resources cover federal campaign-finance law; the FEC says it does not administer voting laws, ballot access, voter intimidation, or election results. State and local contests require the relevant state or local disclosure source. See the Federal Election Commission. To find state election officials and voter resources, the National Association of Secretaries of State directs voters to CanIVote.org.
Independent reader supportYour contribution helps us test, update, and keep practical guides available for everyone.Compare guides using the same questions
If two guides cover the same contest, compare them on these practical criteria:
- Ballot coverage: Does each include the contests and measures on your official ballot, including local items?
- Date and jurisdiction: Is it current for this election and the right geographic area?
- Publisher and purpose: Who produced it, and does it endorse or advocate?
- Method: Are statements candidate responses, sourced descriptions, or editorial conclusions? Does the guide explain how it gathered information?
- Evidence and attribution: Does it identify official text and other primary records? Are arguments labeled and claims attributed?
- Coverage and limits: Does it explain missing responses, unavailable information, assumptions, or uncertainty?
A guide’s official status can establish its provenance, but it does not mean every argument in it is an independently verified fact. The strongest starting point is to establish what is on your ballot, understand who produced each guide and why, and check consequential claims against the relevant primary documents.
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- The 2024 ERG guide helps satisfy 49 CFR 172.602 DOT requirement. This requirement states that hazmat shipments be accompanied by emergency response info.
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- 2024 Updates: The Pipeline and Hazardous Materials Safety Administration (PHMSA) released a comprehensive summary of updates. Most significantly a QR code on the back cover that provides access to critical incident reporting information.
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- Specifications: 4" x 5 1/2" Pocketbook Size, English, Spiralbound. Copyright 2024.
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