Voting is a privilege and a great convenience we Oregonians get delivered right to our mailbox. It doesn’t get much easier than that.

Except for the part of deciding how to vote. It requires some effort to learn about candidates and ballot measures.

Recently, I have pondered my process for information gathering for elections. What sources do I trust and which resources do I rely on to decipher truth from fiction? I wanted to share a few strategies that may be helpful for you.

There is understandable confusion for some about the Parks and Recreation ballot Measure 15-214 for the May 16 special election.

I’m not writing to explain the points from the YES or NO perspective. I’m going to offer up a couple of suggestions. The voters’ pamphlet that came in the mail offers an explanatory statement followed by arguments in favor and those opposed. Pay extra close attention to the author(s). Do you recognize any of the names? What’s the tone and style? Can the information/opinion be verified?

I feel assured by authors I may know personally as neighbors, community leaders or who served on committees and projects over the years. I want to know whether the author is a community-minded, collaborative, respectful and caring citizen (at least most of the time).

I also reach out to individuals that share similar values and are striving to build a healthy, diverse and compassionate community. I ask for their perspective and gather more information. I might contact a couple of city councilors and read editorials. Social media is not a resource that regularly offers reliable information so I avoid it.

I hope this is helpful and thank you for voting!

Risa Buck

Ashland