By the Board of Directors of the League of Women Voters of Newton

Feeling lost in Newton’s complex election system? You’re not alone. For this election cycle, over 40 different candidate names will appear on the ballot, even with many seats left uncontested. Many voters feel overwhelmed by the large number of races and candidates on the ballot and, as a result, resort to slates of candidates shared by others when casting their votes.

At the League of Women Voters of Newton (LWVN), a non-partisan voter education organization, we believe our democracy is stronger when every voter has the information they need to think critically and act independently at the polls. Empowering citizens to actively participate in our government is at the core of our mission.

We urge all Newton voters to actively engage this election cycle. To this end, we’ve created multiple resources to help voters learn more about all the candidates who have stepped up to run for office.

For example, this Saturday, Oct. 4, Newtonians are invited to attend Saturday Afternoon at the Races at 4 p.m. in the Newton North High School cafeteria. It’s a chance for voters to meet and talk to many municipal candidates all in one room! We also offer an online Voter’s Guide and tips on how to pick a candidate. We want to help Newton voters get informed, so they can vote informed.

Voters can find additional information and resources on our website. By providing these easily accessible resources, we hope to encourage more independent thinking and reduce the need for Newton voters to rely on slates when they head to the polls.

Slates and endorsements can be helpful tools in gaining insight into a candidate’s positions, but we encourage voters to use them thoughtfully along with other sources of information and to think critically about the lists. What biases might the source of the slate have? What rationale was given for the endorsements? Were all candidates for a given race included in the process?

In a time when politics have become so polarized, it’s also important to remember that each candidate on a slate is an individual, each race unique. We hope the resources and events LWVN has created will give Newton voters the opportunity to break from the reliance on slates and to better understand the nuances of each candidate. Our democracy, and our city, will be stronger when the electorate is well-informed and can vote with intention in each and every race.

And for anyone who might someday be interested in getting their own name on the ballot, we also offer terrific resources on how to run for office!

Founded in 1920, the League of Women Voters (League) is a nonpartisan, grassroots organization The League never supports or opposes any political party or candidate for elective office. The League does, however, take positions on matters of public policy and takes action on selected matters of government concern that its membership has studied. To learn more about the Newton League and to find more election resources, please visit our website at lwvnewton.org.