How to Check on Your Representative's Voting Record

Most of us pay attention at election time and try to make a reasoned, informed choice in the voting booth. After the election, however, we lose track of the people we elect to represent us. Be an informed voter next time and know how the incumbent has voted instead of having to depend on campaign rhetoric to make your choice.

Instructions

Difficulty: Moderate

1. Know what your representative's job actually is. Local, state and national legislatures have very different responsibilities. Your city council is responsible for fire and police protection, water, utilities, streets and other services in your community. State legislators make rules concerning licensing, operation of everything from vehicles to businesses--anything where coordination of things on a statewide basis makes sense. Members of Congress (the national legislature) work on policy affecting the entire country like foreign policy, national defense and interstate commerce.
2. Know who your representatives are. State and federal legislatures have directory sections on their websites. Local newspapers generally list or have directories of local official. Your state may publish a reference for public use (libraries will have copies) after each election with names and addresses for elected officials. If you use online or print directories, note addresses, email and any local office.
3. Information on federal legislation is available in several forms. Your representative may issue a periodic (that means more often than just before each election) newsletter. Most representative-generated correspondence goes to (at least) every registered voter in her district. If you don't get these newsletters, write or email your representative to make sure you receive these mailings.
4. For information on your state legislator, search online using "legislation" and the name of your state. Track voting records, campaign finance, public statements and other indicators on non-profit sites such as votesmart.org or lwv.org (see Resources below).
5. Consider signing up for a notification service such as MEGAVOTE, found most easily on the American Library Association's website. These services will notify you by email about pending legislation and votes at the federal level (see Resources below).
6. The U.S. Congress publishes issues, bills and voting records on its website. Many state legislatures have similar services. Your library may also carry publications such as Congressional Digest, a non-partisan periodical that examines pros and cons of issues before the U.S. Congress. The Congressional Record is an official record, covering all business, debate and votes in the U.S. House and Senate (the online version has a searchable database--see Resources below).
7. Use broadcast news as a last resort for information on how your representatives vote. In the first place, they cover only those issues that are popular or controversial and secondly, local stations cover only local representatives. Also, broadcast news organizations tend to have biases that are not always apparent in their coverage. Online and print sources offer a variety of viewpoints and it's always easier to find information from them than it is to get the complete story from a 1/2-hour newscast.

Tips & Warnings

• It often helps to know why your representative voted a certain way as well as how he voted. Bills often gather amendments like moss as they roll through committees and the finished version that is voted on by the entire body often includes items that add "earmarks" ("pork" for those of us over 30) or change the intent of the bill completely.
• Before you sign up for a notification service like MEGAVOTE, be sure to check on the organization providing the service for any special-interest or political biases. These biases affect the way that representatives' activities are reported.