• Despite a rise in misinformation, there are a slew of options for verifying information ahead of Election Day
• Nonpartisan fact-checkers, candidate disclosures and questionnaires can all offer voters insight into their choices
• While this list isn’t comprehensive, it offers a selection of some of the most reputable and widely-used resources available

There’s a ton of information online, and not all can be trusted. Here are tips to help research issues with the election and claims made by candidates.

The Golden Rule

Be skeptical. Rely on trusted news sources. Resist confirmation bias. Beware of memes and sites you never heard of. Get a variety of sources, even those you may not agree with.

Fact-checking claims

Several outlets routinely check the claims of candidates, politicians and campaigns, including:

• Politifact
• FactCheck.org
• Snopes
• Michigan Secretary of State FAQs on the electoral process

Campaign finance

Money fuels election campaigns, and knowing who is giving to candidates, ballot measures and parties can provide insight to voters. Here’s where you can find information: 

• Campaign finance filings held by the Michigan Department of State at the state level
• For candidates’ filings at the county level and below, check with your local clerk
• Personal financial disclosures for state-level officeholders and candidates
• Federal Election Commission has campaign finance filings for congressional and presidential candidate
• Open Secrets has breakdowns and statistics for federal candidates’ donations, but it won’t always be the most current information

Other resources

• The Michigan Voter Information Center from the Department of State is the authoritative government resource for where to vote, how to register and what to expect on your ballot
• The nonpartisan Election Protection coalition offers a relatively comprehensive guide on “everything you need to know about voting” in Michigan
• The League of Women Voters of Michigan has produced a voters’ guide to local, state and federal candidates as well as local issues for many parts of the state. Not all candidates may have filled out the organizations’ questionnaire, however
• Facebook’s Voting Information Center provides localized, updated information about the voting process and registration.
• Ballotpedia provides an overview on most races
• The Citizens Research Council of Michigan offers nonpartisan analysis of major policy issues
• Voters’ guide on governor’s race, secretary of state’s race and the Michigan Supreme Court race from guides.vote, a national nonpartisan organization

Political parties in Michigan

• Michigan Republican Party
• Michigan Democratic Party
• Michigan Libertarian Party
• US Taxpayers Party of Michigan
• Michigan Green Party
• Working Class Party of Michigan

Endorsements 

As of early May, the following entities had endorsed candidates for Michigan 2024 elections. This list will be updated at a later date. 

Labor organizations

• AFL-CIO
• Police Officers Association of Michigan
• Michigan Association of Police Organizations
• United Auto Workers
• Michigan Education Association
• Associated Builders and Contractors of Michigan

Industry groups

• Michigan Association of Realtors
• Michigan Chamber of Commerce
• Small Business Association of Michigan
• Michigan Association for Justice

Interest groups

• Michigan League of Conservation Voters
• Sierra Club
• National Rifle Association
• Voters Not Politicians
• Great Lakes Education Project
• Planned Parenthood Advocates of Michigan
• Right To Life of Michigan

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How to be an informed voter, detect misinformation

by Bridge Staff, Bridge Michigan
May 8, 2024

<h1>How to be an informed voter, detect misinformation</h1> <p class="byline">by Bridge Staff, Bridge Michigan <br />May 8, 2024</p> <ul class="wp-block-list"> <li><strong>Despite a rise in misinformation, there are a slew of options for verifying information ahead of Election Day</strong></li> <li><strong>Nonpartisan fact-checkers, candidate disclosures and questionnaires can all offer voters insight into their choices</strong></li> <li><strong>While this list isn’t comprehensive, it offers a selection of some of the most reputable and widely-used resources available</strong></li> </ul> <hr class="wp-block-separator has-alpha-channel-opacity" /> <p>There’s a ton of information online, and not all can be trusted. Here are tips to help research issues with the election and claims made by candidates.</p> <h2 class="wp-block-heading"><b>The Golden Rule</b></h2> <p>Be skeptical. Rely on trusted news sources. Resist confirmation bias. Beware of memes and sites you never heard of. Get a variety of sources, even those you may not agree with.</p> <h2 class="wp-block-heading"><b>Fact-checking claims</b></h2> <p>Several outlets routinely check the claims of candidates, politicians and campaigns, including:</p> <ul class="wp-block-list"> <li><a href="https://www.politifact.com/">Politifact</a></li> <li><a href="https://www.factcheck.org/">FactCheck.org</a></li> <li><a href="https://www.snopes.com/">Snopes</a></li> <li>Michigan Secretary of State <a href="https://www.michigan.gov/sos/faqs/elections-and-campaign-finance/fact-checks">FAQs</a> on the electoral process</li> </ul> <h2 class="wp-block-heading"><b>Campaign finance</b></h2> <p>Money fuels election campaigns, and knowing who is giving to candidates, ballot measures and parties can provide insight to voters. Here’s where you can find information:&nbsp;</p> <ul class="wp-block-list"> <li><a href="https://www.michigan.gov/sos/elections/disclosure/cfr">Campaign finance filings</a> held by the Michigan Department of State at the state level</li> <li>For candidates’ filings at the county level and below, check with your local clerk</li> <li><a href="https://www.michigan.gov/sos/elections/disclosure/personal-financial-disclosure">Personal financial disclosures</a> for state-level officeholders and candidates</li> <li><a href="https://www.fec.gov/data/">Federal Election Commission</a> has campaign finance filings for congressional and presidential candidate</li> <li><a href="https://www.opensecrets.org/">Open Secrets</a> has breakdowns and statistics for federal candidates’ donations, but it won’t always be the most current information</li> </ul> <h2 class="wp-block-heading"><b>Other resources</b></h2> <ul class="wp-block-list"> <li><a href="https://mvic.sos.state.mi.us/">The Michigan Voter Information Center</a> from the Department of State is the authoritative government resource for where to vote, how to register and what to expect on your ballot</li> <li>The nonpartisan Election Protection coalition offers a <a href="https://866ourvote.org/state/michigan/">relatively comprehensive guide</a> on “everything you need to know about voting” in Michigan</li> <li>The League of Women Voters of Michigan has produced <a href="https://www.vote411.org/">a voters’ guide</a> to local, state and federal candidates as well as local issues for many parts of the state. Not all candidates may have filled out the organizations’ questionnaire, however</li> <li>Facebook’s <a href="https://www.facebook.com/votinginfocenter">Voting Information Center</a> provides localized, updated information about the voting process and registration.</li> <li><a href="https://ballotpedia.org/Michigan_elections,_2024">Ballotpedia</a> provides an overview on most races</li> <li>The<a href="https://crcmich.org/"> Citizens Research Council of Michigan</a> offers nonpartisan analysis of major policy issues</li> <li>Voters’ guide on<a href="https://guides.vote/guide/2022-michigan-governor-voters-guide"> governor’s race</a>,<a href="https://guides.vote/guide/2022-michigan-secretary-of-state-voters-guide"> secretary of state’s race</a> and the<a href="https://guides.vote/guide/nonpartisan-voters-guide-to-the-2022-michigan-supreme-court-race%ef%bf%bc"> Michigan Supreme Court race</a> from<a href="https://guides.vote/"> guides.vote,</a> a national nonpartisan organization</li> </ul> <h2 class="wp-block-heading"><b>Political parties in Michigan</b></h2> <ul class="wp-block-list"> <li><a href="https://michiganrepublicanparty.com/">Michigan Republican Party</a></li> <li><a href="https://michigandems.com/">Michigan Democratic Party</a></li> <li><a href="https://michiganlp.org/">Michigan Libertarian Party</a></li> <li><a href="https://www.ustpm.org/">US Taxpayers Party of Michigan</a></li> <li><a href="https://migreenparty.org/">Michigan Green Party</a></li> <li><a href="https://www.facebook.com/WCPMichigan/">Working Class Party of Michigan</a></li> </ul> <h2 class="wp-block-heading"><b>Endorsements&nbsp;</b></h2> <p>As of early May, the following entities had endorsed candidates for Michigan 2024 elections. This list will be updated at a later date.&nbsp;</p> <h2 class="wp-block-heading"><strong>Labor organizations</strong></h2> <ul class="wp-block-list"> <li><a href="https://miaflcio.vote/endorsements/">AFL-CIO</a></li> <li><a href="https://www.poam.net/poam-news/poam-political-endorsements-2022/">Police Officers Association of Michigan</a></li> <li><a href="http://mapo411.com/">Michigan Association of Police Organizations</a></li> <li><a href="https://region1.uaw.org/political-action/2022-primary-election-endorsements">United Auto Workers</a></li> <li><a href="https://pac.mymea.org/index.html">Michigan Education Association</a></li> <li><a href="https://www.abcmi.com/Politics-Policy-Advocacy">Associated Builders and Contractors of Michigan</a></li> </ul> <h2 class="wp-block-heading"><strong>Industry groups</strong></h2> <ul class="wp-block-list"> <li><a href="https://www.mirealtors.com/Advocacy-Initiatives/Elections">Michigan Association of Realtors</a></li> <li><a href="https://www.michamber.com/keybills/voting-record/">Michigan Chamber of Commerce</a></li> <li><a href="https://www.sbam.org/">Small Business Association of Michigan</a></li> <li><a href="https://www.michiganjustice.org/?pg=Endorsement">Michigan Association for Justice</a></li> </ul> <h2 class="wp-block-heading"><strong>Interest groups</strong></h2> <ul class="wp-block-list"> <li><a href="https://michiganlcv.org/accountability/">Michigan League of Conservation Voters</a></li> <li><a href="https://www.sierraclub.org/michigan/elections">Sierra Club</a></li> <li><a href="https://www.nrapvf.org/grades/Michigan/">National Rifle Association</a></li> <li><a href="https://votersnotpoliticians.com/">Voters Not Politicians</a></li> <li><a href="https://www.glep.org/endorsements/">Great Lakes Education Project</a></li> <li><a href="https://www.miplannedparenthood.org/elections">Planned Parenthood Advocates of Michigan</a></li> <li><a href="https://rtl.org/?target=elections-endorsed-candidates">Right To Life of Michigan</a></li> </ul> <p>This &lt;a target=&quot;_blank&quot; href=&quot;https://bridgemi.com/michigan-government/how-be-informed-voter-detect-misinformation/&quot;&gt;article&lt;/a&gt; first appeared on &lt;a target=&quot;_blank&quot; href=&quot;https://bridgemi.com&quot;&gt;Bridge Michigan&lt;/a&gt; and is republished here under a &lt;a target=&quot;_blank&quot; href=&quot;https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-nd/4.0/&quot;&gt;Creative Commons Attribution-NoDerivatives 4.0 International License&lt;/a&gt;.&lt;img src=&quot;https://i0.wp.com/bridgemi.com/wp-content/uploads/2025/05/cropped-android-chrome-192x192-1.png?resize=150%2C150&amp;amp;ssl=1&quot; style=&quot;width:1em;height:1em;margin-left:10px;&quot;&gt;&lt;img id=&quot;republication-tracker-tool-source&quot; src=&quot;https://bridgemi.com/?republication-pixel=true&amp;post=1519&amp;amp;ga4=G-1E2G9MSHX5&quot; style=&quot;width:1px;height:1px;&quot;&gt;&lt;script&gt; PARSELY = { autotrack: false, onload: function() { PARSELY.beacon.trackPageView({ url: &quot;https://bridgemi.com/michigan-government/how-be-informed-voter-detect-misinformation/&quot;, urlref: window.location.href }); } } &lt;/script&gt; &lt;script id=&quot;parsely-cfg&quot; src=&quot;//cdn.parsely.com/keys/bridgemi.com/p.js&quot;&gt;&lt;/script&gt;</p> Copy to Clipboard

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