With Election Day less than 40 days away, voters across the country are preparing to cast ballots in the 2026 midterm elections. On November 3, voters will decide congressional, state, and local races, and ballot measures in states across the country.
With so many races and issues on the same ballot, it is crucial that citizens are making informed decisions when they cast their ballot. Voters may encounter campaign advertisements, social media posts, news coverage, and information from candidates themselves, making it difficult to find a clear overview of where candidates stand on the issues.
One resource that can help is guides.vote, a non-partisan voter guide that provides information about candidates and their stances on a range of issues.
What is guides.vote?
Guides.vote produces nonpartisan voter guides with the help of experienced editors, researchers, and veteran journalists. The guides provide information about candidates’ positions on issues and are designed to help voters compare candidates before casting their ballots.
These guides are available digitally and in print and are offered in both English or Spanish. Guides.vote currently includes 2026 election information for races in states across the country.
The organization includes candidates who are polling at 15% or more in the races covered by its guides. Its 2026 guides address issues including abortion, climate change, criminal justice, education, health care, immigration, labor, LGBTQ+ rights, taxes, gun laws, and voting rules.
Rather than telling voters how to vote, the guides provide information that voters can use to make their own decisions.
Start by Checking your Voter Registration
Before researching candidates, make sure you are registered to vote at your current address.
Voter registration deadlines vary by state. Some states allow eligible voters to register in person and cast your ballot during early voting or on Election Day. Ballotpedia maintains a state-by-state list of registration deadlines.
Voters should also check that their registration is active and that their address and other information are up to date.
Find Out What Is on Your Ballot
Casting an informed ballot is built on knowing what’s on the ballot.
Depending on where you live, your ballot may include candidates for the US House and Senate, governor, state legislature, judges, and local offices. It may also include ballot measures. Ballot measures are questions that voters get to decide on often about alterations to laws, policies, taxes, and constitutional amendments. The wording of ballot measures can be deceiving so understanding them before walking to the polls is important.
Sample ballots are often available through state and local election offices. Reviewing your sample ballot before voting can help you understand which races and measures you will be deciding.
Research the candidates
This is where resources such as guides.vote can be particularly useful.
Voters can use the guides to learn where candidates stand on issues and compare their positions before Election Day. Because state and local elections can have a direct impact on people’s daily lives, voters should look beyond federal races when researching their ballot.
For local elections and additional voting information, voters can also visit vote411.org/feminist.
Make a Plan to Vote
Election Day is Tuesday, November 3, but that is the last day to vote for many states. Early voting and mail voting options vary by state—all of which accommodate obstacles that may prevent people from casting their ballot.
Check your state’s election website for information about early voting locations, mail-in voting, polling places, voter ID requirements, and election deadlines.
Once you know your options, make a plan. Decide when and how you will vote, find your polling location if you are voting in person, and make sure you know what identification you may need.
Participating in elections gives voters a voice in the decisions that shape their communities. With control of the House and Senate at stake this November, voters will have the opportunity to shape the direction of federal policy, while state and local elections will determine leadership and policies closer to home. Check your registration, research your ballot, make a voting plan, and be ready and empowered to vote!