How to Research the Candidates on Your Ballot
A Guide to Informed Stewardship
As a 501©(3) nonprofit, Center for Christian Virtue (CCV) does not endorse or oppose any candidate on the ballot. The following is for educational purposes only.
Casting a vote requires finding the facts. First, view your 2026 Primary Election sample ballot. Then research your candidates! We’ve provided some tips below.
1. Finding Official Endorsements
Endorsements are a window into a candidate’s worldview.
Trusted Organizations: Visit the websites of organizations you trust for their “Political Action Committee” (PAC) or "Advocacy" pages. Groups focused on policy often publish primary endorsements or candidate ratings.
The "Opposition" Test: The groups supporting a candidate often signal his or her legislative priorities. Reviewing the endorsements of organizations on both sides of an issue helps you determine if a candidate’s platform aligns with biblical values.
Party Slate Cards: County political parties often issue "Slate Cards" showing their endorsed candidates. Search "[Your County] [Party Name] Slate Card" to see who the local leadership supports.
Example endorsing organizations from across the political spectrum:
Democrat: bluevoterguide.org/state/ohio
Republican: ohiogop.org/2026-orp-slate-card
Pro-Guns: www.buckeyefirearms.org/2026-bfa-pac-grades-and-endorsements-ohio-primary
Gun Control: gunsensevoter.org/states/oh/
Pro-Life: rtlaohio.org/candidates-and-endorsements, ohiolife.org/ohio-right-to-life-pac-announces-additional-primary-candidate-endorsements
Pro-Choice: plannedparenthoodaction.org/planned-parenthood-advocates-ohio/elections
2. Researching Incumbents
If a candidate has held office before, their past actions are more telling than their current campaign promises.
The Ohio Legislature: Visit legislature.ohio.gov. You can search for specific bills and view the "Votes" tab to see exactly how your Representative or Senator voted. You can also visit their official profile page and view their statements, sponsored bills, and more.
Campaign Donors: Big donors often signal a candidate’s future policy priorities. The Ohio Secretary of State’s office oversees campaign finance compliance by maintaining filed finance reports for statewide candidates’ campaigns, political action committees (PACs), state political parties, and legislative caucus campaign committees. You can also use transparencyusa.org to see who is funding a candidate’s campaign.
3. Investigating New Candidates
For candidates without a voting record, look at their professional and public history.
Professional Background: Look for the jobs they have held, boards they have served on, and community involvement. This reveals their practical experience and allegiances.
Social Media: Search their personal and campaign history on X, Facebook, and Instagram. Look for past statements on foundational issues like life, family, and religious liberty. Look at their personal posts and "likes."
Official Websites: Read the "Issues" page carefully. Look for clear, specific commitments rather than generic political phrases.
4. Judges and School Boards
These can be the hardest to research, and many appear in the nonpartisan section without an "R" or a "D" next to their names.
Ohio Supreme Court and Local Judges
Ohio’s judges interpret the laws that govern your family and your business. In 2026, two seats on the Ohio Supreme Court are up for election. These justices make the final decisions on how the law applies to life, parental rights, and religious liberty in our state.
JudicialVotesCount.org: This website provides recommendations on how to research your judicial candidates.
Identify Their Philosophy: When researching a judge, look at how they describe their role. Do they see themselves as an "originalist" or "textualist" who applies the law as written? Or do they believe in a "living constitution" that allows them to modernize the law from the bench?
Research the Record: For incumbents, check their past rulings. For new candidates, look at their legal background and the types of cases they have handled. You can view official records on the Ohio Supreme Court website or through your local clerk of courts.
School Board Candidates
School boards decide what your children are taught and how your tax dollars are spent. While they are listed as nonpartisan, their worldviews are anything but neutral. In addition to the tips above, below are a couple of specific research options.
Audit Public Minutes: Go to your school district’s website and search the board meeting minutes. Look for the candidates' names. Have they given public testimony? Look for their history of testimony or voting on policies related to curriculum transparency, parental notification, and the protection of students' private spaces.
Consult Local Parent Groups: Reach out to local chapters of parent advocacy groups. These organizations track school board performance and often know how each candidate leans.
For more information, contact CCV at 513-733-5775 or contact@ccv.org. For media inquiries, email media@ccv.org.
As Ohio's largest Christian public policy organization, Center for Christian Virtue seeks the good of our neighbors by advocating for public policy that reflects the truth of the Gospel.
