Campaign signs not worth the paper

As election day draws near, the election signs are popping up at the speed of sound. It reminds me of how important it is to make sure you know who you are voting for when you enter the election booth. Just because a candidate has signs everywhere doesn't mean he or she is qualified for the position. Here are a few guidelines to follow when picking a candidate:

1. Know who is running for office and what issues are important to you, gather as much information as you can on each candidate, until you have a good idea of who they are and what they represent.

2. Decide what issues are important to you.

3. Write down each issue you've chosen, along with your personal stance on it. You can use this list as a sort of score card when evaluating the candidates in the next step.

4. Find out everything you can about the candidate. Find out who they are and what they represent.

5. Interviews are very helpful and can help you get an idea of how they think and how they answer the hard-hitting questions.

6. How involved is the candidate in your community? Have they been actively involved or just show up at election time claiming they know what is best for the community? 7. Check education and work experience. Is education a factor in the position they are seeking? Look at education and work experience it speaks loudly of a candidates qualifications for the position.

In my opinion election signs are another form of pollution and are not worth the paper they are printed on. If you do a little homework you will step in to the voting booth knowing you are picking the right candidate for you and your community.

Laura Vargas

Oakbrook Terrace