Decide Who to Vote For

Voter Guides and Sample Ballots

Voter guides and sample ballots can help you decide who you can vote for and what ballot measures will be up for vote at election time.

Voter Guides

Voter guides provide background information on the candidates and ballot measures. They list who you can vote for and offer details on each candidate's experience and goals. They also explain ballot measures, which are specific questions or issues that you can approve or reject.

Find online voter guides by home address nationwide. You can save your choices online and print or email your personalized ballot to bring with you to the polls.
Regional newspapers often produce voter guides, as do issue-specific organizations.

Sample Ballots

Sample ballots show you the elections and candidates and any ballot measures that will be on your real ballot. But they will not provide information about the candidates like voter guides do. Your state may mail you a sample ballot or let you download one from your state election office website. That sample ballot may look exactly like the real one.

Some non-profit organizations and political parties produce unofficial sample ballots. These ballots may highlight the candidates that the organization wants you to vote for, and will not look exactly the same as what you will see when you vote.

Bringing Notes and Voter’s Guides to Your Polling Place

You can bring your notes, a voter's guide, or a sample ballot into the voting booth. This frees you from having to memorize your choices for candidates and ballot initiatives. Some polling places do restrict cell phone use, so bring paper copies instead of using your phone. Check the rules with your local election office before you go.

Write-In Candidates for Federal and State Elections

Besides the names on your ballot, you may be able to write in names of other candidates. Most states let you write in votes for president, U.S. senator, and U.S. representative. They may also allow write-in votes for governor and other state offices.

But writing in a name does not mean that vote will count. Many states require that write-in candidates file paperwork before the election. Otherwise, the state will not count the person's votes.

Check with your state election office to find out the rules for your state. If you check using your state’s election website, enter “write-in candidates” in the search bar.