Researching local candidates for election can be difficult. Here are 10 ways to find out more about your local candidates.
1. Attend campaign events, including town halls, candidate meet and greets and informal coffees and other stops the candidates might be making in your community.
The Villa Park City Council Candidate Forum at the City of Villa Park Council Chambers.
2. Explore the candidates’ websites and campaign social media profiles to see where they stand on your hot-button issues and learn more about them.
3. Reach out to the candidates to learn more. Candidates want your vote. Make them work for it. Ask to speak to the candidate and get your questions answered about the issues that matter to you. Find out when and where their next meet and greet will be.
4. Watch the videos and read the Minutes, Agendas, Resolutions and Ordinances from City Council meetings to see how they voted, supported and opposed.
Villa Park YouTube City Council Meetings
Villa Park City Council Meeting Minutes and Agendas. The complete versions of Resolutions and Ordinances referenced in the minutes can be found on links within the Council Meeting Agenda documents.
5. Review their Campaign Finance Disclosures to see who funded their campaign.
Campaign Finance Disclosure Search
6. Review their 700 forms to see if they have collected funds from any special interests.
7. Google the candidates to find newspaper articles about them and their activities.
8. Browse websites of clubs and organizations to which they belong to see how active in the community they have been/are and what they value.
9. Read the Candidate Statements. Those submitted with their nomination petitions, included in their election material and those submitted to news outlets.
Filed Candidate Statements can be found at the Orange County Registrar of Voters
VillaPark.co Candidate Statements
10. Talk to people they know – those who support and oppose them. How are they perceived; what do they stand for?
Local elections are often popularity contests or who someone knows. However, these candidates may not represent your views or local interests. Even a shared political party affiliation may not align with your view on local interests and city issues. Do your own research about candidates to find out who reflects your values and objectives for your local area.
2022 Villa Park Election Resources
- Villa Park Election Results
- VP City Council Candidate Announcement
- VP City Council Candidate Forum – Meet the candidates
- VPCity Council Candidate Statements
- OUSD Candidate Statements
- Orange Mayoral Candidate Statements
- Orange City Council Candidate Statements
- How to Research Local Candidates for Election
- Villa Park State and Regional Elected Officials
- Villa Park Election Central – All local information, news and updates