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What factors do you consider when voting for a candidate to represent you in your country's parliament or government?

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LordShadowfire · 46-50, M
The first thing I look for is, do I like this person? Not necessarily the stuріd cliché of "Would I have a beer with them?" but just, am I comfortable listening to this person on TV for a few minutes at a time?

Then, if I'm not nauseated by the things coming out of that person's mouth (or even if I am), I do a little digging. I go on the internet and look for their website. A smart politician will outline a campaign platform that's easy to read and easy to understand.

After learning what the politician is about from their own mouths (or more likely, from the mouths of their PR team), I listen to what other people are saying about them. Pros and cons. Good and bad. Are the people who don't like this person making cogent points about what they don't like? Or is it just stuff like "Hurrdurrr, funny man fall off bicycle"?

Then I consider whether the cons other people have raised regarding that particular politician are what I consider cons. For example, a candidate running on a platform of racial equality is inevitably going to make enemies among white nationalist ԁіrtbаgs who think that if other people get more rights, they'll get fewer rights.

As a final step, if the candidate in question has a history in the political sector, I look at that person's past record. If they are making a lot of pro-choice noises now, did their voting record at their last job reflect that, or are they just making soothing noises to get the women's vote?