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
• The Michigan Secretary of State fact-checking service.

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: 

• Michigan Campaign Finance Network (statewide and federal races)
• Open Secrets (typically federal campaigns, including Congressional and Presidential)
• Michigan Secretary of State campaign finance data
• Federal Election Commission

Other resources

• 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.
• Facebook’s Voting Information Center provides localized, updated information about the voting process and registration.
• Ballotpedia provides an overview on every race
• The Citizens Research Council of Michigan offers analysis of the three ballot proposals.
• The Michigan Health and Hospital Association has its own voters guide.
• 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

• AFL-CIO
• Associated Builders and Contractors of Michigan
• Detroit News
• Detroit Free Press
• Detroit Regional Chamber
• Michigan Association for Justice
• Michigan Association of Realtors
• Michigan Chamber of Commerce
• Michigan Education Association
• Michigan League of Conservation Voters
• National Rifle Association
• Police Officers Association of Michigan
• Michigan Association of Police Organizations
• Sierra Club
• Small Business Association of Michigan
• United Auto Workers
• Voters Not Politicians

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How to be an informed voter in Michigan

by Bridge Staff, Bridge Michigan
June 22, 2022

<h1>How to be an informed voter in Michigan</h1> <p class="byline">by Bridge Staff, Bridge Michigan <br />June 22, 2022</p> <p><span style="font-size:13pt;font-variant:normal;white-space:pre-wrap"><span style="font-family:Arial"><span style="color:#000000"><span style="font-weight:400"><span style="font-style:normal"><span style="text-decoration:none">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.</span></span></span></span></span></span></p> <h2 class="wp-block-heading"><span style="font-size:11pt;font-variant:normal;white-space:pre-wrap"><span style="font-family:Arial"><span style="color:#000000"><span style="font-weight:700"><span style="font-style:normal"><span style="text-decoration:none">The Golden Rule</span></span></span></span></span></span></h2> <p><span style="font-size:11pt;font-variant:normal;white-space:pre-wrap"><span style="font-family:Arial"><span style="color:#000000"><span style="font-weight:400"><span style="font-style:normal"><span style="text-decoration:none">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.</span></span></span></span></span></span></p> <h2 class="wp-block-heading"><span style="font-size:11pt;font-variant:normal;white-space:pre-wrap"><span style="font-family:Arial"><span style="color:#000000"><span style="font-weight:700"><span style="font-style:normal"><span style="text-decoration:none">Fact-checking claims</span></span></span></span></span></span></h2> <p><span style="font-size:11pt;font-variant:normal;white-space:pre-wrap"><span style="font-family:Arial"><span style="color:#000000"><span style="font-weight:400"><span style="font-style:normal"><span style="text-decoration:none">Several outlets routinely check the claims of candidates, politicians and campaigns, including:</span></span></span></span></span></span></p> <ul class="wp-block-list"> <li><a style="text-decoration:none" href="https://www.politifact.com/"><span style="font-size:11pt;font-variant:normal;white-space:pre-wrap"><span style="font-family:Arial"><span style="color:#1155cc"><span style="font-weight:400"><span style="font-style:normal"><span style="text-decoration:underline"><span><span>Politifact</span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></a></li> <li><a style="text-decoration:none" href="https://www.factcheck.org/"><span style="font-size:11pt;font-variant:normal;white-space:pre-wrap"><span style="font-family:Arial"><span style="color:#1155cc"><span style="font-weight:400"><span style="font-style:normal"><span style="text-decoration:underline"><span><span>FactCheck.org</span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></a></li> <li><a style="text-decoration:none" href="https://www.snopes.com/"><span style="font-size:11pt;font-variant:normal;white-space:pre-wrap"><span style="font-family:Arial"><span style="color:#1155cc"><span style="font-weight:400"><span style="font-style:normal"><span style="text-decoration:underline"><span><span>Snopes</span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></a></li> <li><span style="font-size:11pt;font-variant:normal;white-space:pre-wrap"><span style="font-family:Arial"><span style="color:#000000"><span style="font-weight:400"><span style="font-style:normal"><span style="text-decoration:none">The Michigan Secretary of State </span></span></span></span></span></span><a style="text-decoration:none" href="https://www.michigan.gov/sos/elections/elec-security/related-pages/fact-checks"><span style="font-size:11pt;font-variant:normal;white-space:pre-wrap"><span style="font-family:Arial"><span style="color:#1155cc"><span style="font-weight:400"><span style="font-style:normal"><span style="text-decoration:underline"><span><span>fact-checking service</span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></a><span style="font-size:11pt;font-variant:normal;white-space:pre-wrap"><span style="font-family:Arial"><span style="color:#000000"><span style="font-weight:400"><span style="font-style:normal"><span style="text-decoration:none">.</span></span></span></span></span></span></li> </ul> <h2 class="wp-block-heading"><span style="font-size:11pt;font-variant:normal;white-space:pre-wrap"><span style="font-family:Arial"><span style="color:#000000"><span style="font-weight:700"><span style="font-style:normal"><span style="text-decoration:none">Campaign finance</span></span></span></span></span></span></h2> <p><span style="font-size:11pt;font-variant:normal;white-space:pre-wrap"><span style="font-family:Arial"><span style="color:#000000"><span style="font-weight:400"><span style="font-style:normal"><span style="text-decoration:none">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;</span></span></span></span></span></span></p> <ul class="wp-block-list"> <li><a style="text-decoration:none" href="https://mcfn.org/"><span style="font-size:11pt;font-variant:normal;white-space:pre-wrap"><span style="font-family:Arial"><span style="color:#1155cc"><span style="font-weight:400"><span style="font-style:normal"><span style="text-decoration:underline"><span><span>Michigan Campaign Finance Network</span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></a><span style="font-size:11pt;font-variant:normal;white-space:pre-wrap"><span style="font-family:Arial"><span style="color:#000000"><span style="font-weight:400"><span style="font-style:normal"><span style="text-decoration:none"> (statewide and federal races)</span></span></span></span></span></span></li> <li><a style="text-decoration:none" href="https://www.opensecrets.org/"><span style="font-size:11pt;font-variant:normal;white-space:pre-wrap"><span style="font-family:Arial"><span style="color:#1155cc"><span style="font-weight:400"><span style="font-style:normal"><span style="text-decoration:underline"><span><span>Open Secrets</span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></a><span style="font-size:11pt;font-variant:normal;white-space:pre-wrap"><span style="font-family:Arial"><span style="color:#000000"><span style="font-weight:400"><span style="font-style:normal"><span style="text-decoration:none"> (typically federal campaigns, including Congressional and Presidential)</span></span></span></span></span></span></li> <li><span style="font-size:11pt;font-variant:normal;white-space:pre-wrap"><span style="font-family:Arial"><span style="color:#000000"><span style="font-weight:400"><span style="font-style:normal"><span style="text-decoration:none">Michigan Secretary of State </span></span></span></span></span></span><a style="text-decoration:none" href="https://www.michigan.gov/sos/elections/disclosure/cfr"><span style="font-size:11pt;font-variant:normal;white-space:pre-wrap"><span style="font-family:Arial"><span style="color:#1155cc"><span style="font-weight:400"><span style="font-style:normal"><span style="text-decoration:underline"><span><span>campaign finance data</span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></a></li> <li><a style="text-decoration:none" href="https://www.fec.gov/data/"><span style="font-size:11pt;font-variant:normal;white-space:pre-wrap"><span style="font-family:Arial"><span style="color:#1155cc"><span style="font-weight:400"><span style="font-style:normal"><span style="text-decoration:underline"><span><span>Federal Election Commission</span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></a></li> </ul> <h2 class="wp-block-heading">Other resources</h2> <ul class="wp-block-list"> <li>The League of Women Voters of Michigan has produced <a href="http://onyourballot.vote411.org/race-index.do?c=29069394">a voters’ guide</a> to local, state and federal candidates as well as local issues for many parts of the state.</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,_2022">Ballotpedia</a> provides an overview on every race</li> <li>The <a href="https://crcmich.org/">Citizens Research Council of Michigan</a> offers analysis of the three ballot proposals.</li> <li>The Michigan Health and Hospital Association has its own <a href="https://www.mha.org/Issues-Advocacy/Elections">voters guide.</a></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">Political parties in Michigan</h2> <ul class="wp-block-list"> <li><a href="https://migop.org/">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">Endorsements</h2> <ul class="wp-block-list"> <li><a href="https://miaflcio.vote/endorsements/">AFL-CIO</a></li> <li><a href="https://www.abcmi.com/Portals/67/Documents/2022%20ELECTION%20GUIDE.pdf?ver=KGbkS_ZRs_ApPkyAYbx6sQ%3d%3d">Associated Builders and Contractors of Michigan</a></li> <li><a href="https://www.detroitnews.com/story/opinion/editorials/2022/09/30/michigan-election-endorsements-november-general/69531519007/">Detroit News</a></li> <li><a href="https://www.freep.com/story/opinion/editorials/2022/10/19/detroit-free-press-endorsements-for-election-2022/69553193007/">Detroit Free Press</a></li> <li><a href="https://www.detroitchamber.com/detroit-regional-chamber-pac-2022-general-election-endorsement/">Detroit Regional Chamber</a></li> <li><a href="https://www.michiganjustice.org/?pg=2022Endorse1">Michigan Association for Justice</a></li> <li><a href="https://www.mirealtors.com/Advocacy-Initiatives/Elections">Michigan Association of Realtors</a></li> <li><a href="https://www.michamber.com/news/your-voice-your-vote-mi-chambers-candidate-endorsements-for-the-november-election/">Michigan Chamber of Commerce</a></li> <li><a href="https://mea.org/wp-content/uploads/2022/10/2022-10-Voter_Guide_web.pdf">Michigan Education Association</a></li> <li><a href="https://michiganlcv.org/elections/endorsements-2022/">Michigan League of Conservation Voters</a></li> <li><a href="https://www.nrapvf.org/grades/Michigan/">National Rifle Association</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/index.cfm?zone=/unionactive/view_article.cfm&amp;HomeID=879920">Michigan Association of Police Organizations</a></li> <li><a href="https://www.sierraclub.org/michigan/endorsements2022">Sierra Club</a></li> <li><a href="https://www.sbam.org/2022-endorsed-candidates/">Small Business Association of Michigan</a></li> <li><a href="https://region1.uaw.org/political-action/2022-primary-election-endorsements">United Auto Workers</a></li> <li><a href="https://votersnotpoliticians.com/2022approved/">Voters Not Politicians</a></li> </ul> <p>This &lt;a target=&quot;_blank&quot; 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