By David Hegg With just over three weeks until the election in November, it’s time to talk about voting choices. No, I won’t be endorsing candidates, issues, or parties. What I will do is suggest some strategies for getting factual information and making wise choices before you send in your ballot or enter the voting booth.   We all have witnessed the common election barrage. The media has been churning out commercials, testimonials and endorsements meant to make our choices easy. They started out being informational, but recently have become intentional exaggerations and mean-spirited, usually groundless accusations. Just remember, choosing those who will serve our city, county, state and nation should never be easy. We should have to really think, study, reflect, and adjudicate what we learn about people before casting our vote for them, or for or against a measure or proposition.  Next came the ubiquitous campaign signs. I often wonder about the strategy here. Am I supposed to think a candidate is more worthy if his or her signs are plastered in groups of five? And I always wonder about the color choice. Do you suppose paid political operatives stay up nights arguing with candidates that red and blue beat green and yellow seven out of 10 times?   But all the above has been only slightly less annoying than the plague of unsolicited texts. You know, the ones where we’re supposed to think some nationally known figure happens to have the time to text me personally and ask me to save his or her campaign with a few dollars. Are we really that gullible?  I think the answer is “yes.” Here’s the problem. Professional politicos know most voters are lazy and want someone to tell them who to vote for.  They have learned we can be swayed by edgy commercials, a flurry of yard signs, and celebrity endorsements. They are betting we’ll let them do our thinking for us, but you and I know our democratic system only works if we vote intelligently.  My advice: Don’t be someone’s stooge. Don’t vote popularity or personality. Vote for those with the best policies and who are able to identify, explain and prove their ideas are both workable and beneficial.   So, here are a few suggestions:  1. Forget the commercials entirely. Refuse to be manipulated by scripted sound bites produced by professional filmmakers. Do you really think you’re getting the whole story?  2. Remember, the guy with the most signs is just the guy with the most signs. You’re not electing a marketing team; you’re selecting a person to represent your point of view.  3. Read all you can about candidate views and records. Most election headquarters offer position papers and other materials that will allow you to hear what the candidate really thinks.  4. Attend some “meet and greet” events. Meet the candidates face-to-face and have some well-worded questions ready for them to answer. Then, assess just how knowledgeable they are, how able they are to think and articulate their views, and whether or not they appear trustworthy.  5. Lastly, if you find a candidate worthy of your support, support them. The best candidates are often the least funded simply because they refuse to toe the party line.   The elections are coming, and they are very important. Don’t let someone else do your thinking for you. Think, study, discover and then vote. You’ll be glad you did, as will the rest of us.   Local resident David Hegg is senior pastor of Grace Baptist Church. “Ethically Speaking” appears Sundays.  The post David Hegg | Be Election Ready appeared first on Santa Clarita Valley Signal.