Your first step is to find out which candidates are running in the election and which questions will be on the ballot.
Use our newspaper databases to search for articles and editorials about specific questions. Local newspapers are likely to publish articles and editorials about local election issues. Remember that editorials and opinion pieces are different from investigative journalism and reporting. This does not mean that they aren't helpful, just know that they will be biased for or against a question.
US Newsstream enables users to search current U.S. news content, as well as archives that stretch back into the 1980s. It features top newspapers, wires, broadcast transcripts, along with national and regional news sources including The New York Times, the Wall Street Journal, Star Tribune, Los Angeles Times, Boston Globe, and Chicago Tribune.
Comprehensive collection of newspapers, magazines, and journals of the ethnic, minority, and native press. All articles are full-text. Updated quarterly. 1990- .
Use these links to research background information on topics. The information you find will is likely to be general, and may not have all the details specific to local ballot questions, but it can help you understand the basics of an issue.
In-depth articles on controversial topics such in areas like politics, government, business, education, and popular culture. Includes supporting resources like timelines, statistics, and pros/cons statements.
A full-text database providing essays that present multiple sides of a current issue. Each topic covered has an overview article that gives a summary of the issue, as well as a robust set of supporting documents that includes viewpoint essays, op-eds, newspaper articles, radio & TV news transcripts, and primary source documents.