The Voter Scorecard Copyright © 1988, 2011 Louis DeCola, Jr. All Rights Reserved

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The Voter Scorecard            Copyright  © 1988, 2011  Louis DeCola, Jr. All Rights Reserved

A Rational Decision-Making Method

Voting behavior is important in a democracy. The Voter Scorecard can help you make voting decisions. It can help you develop a type of rational decision-making skill. The Voter Scorecard could help to ensure that you fully consider issues you consider important. The Voter scorecard process could be compared to the present process by which you make voting decisions.

The Voter Scorecard could be used for any voting situation, from voting on a single issue, choosing among presidential candidates, or electing a high school student council representative. A representative of people (e.g., U.S. House Representative) could even show constituents how (s)he voted by showing them her/his Voter Scorecard. The Voter Scorecard could provide an explicit basis as to how the representative made a decision and facilitate, in turn, voting for the representative by her/his constituents.

People may wish to discuss the basis of their decisions with others. In fact, The Voter Scorecard tells something about the personality of the scorer. A candidate could be assessed at different time intervals to look at changes (in the scorer or candidate). Even past office holders can be assessed. The Voter Scorecard could thus have practical, educational, and entertainment value.

Directions For Use Of The Voter Scorecard : 5 Steps

WARNING TO THE UNINITIATED : This could take some thought.

1. Listed below are several categories to consider. Major Topics are in boxes and listed below are subtopics. If a topic or subtopic is unimportant, cross it out. If you believe that important major topics and/or subtopics have not been listed write in topics and/or subtopics that you believe consideration.

2. Weight each subtopic relative to every other subtopic. For example, if all categories are equal, weight the categories a “1”. If a category such as leadership is twice as important to you as intelligence, weight leadership with a number that is twice as large as intelligence. (Suggestion : Rank all subtopics from least to most important, giving the least important subtopic(s) a numerical rating of one and more important subtopics higher relative numbers.)

3. Score each subtopic using same numerical rating scale. A possible scale to use is provided. Be certain to use the numerical scale  as you do each Voter Scorecard so comparisons can be done easily.

4. Multiply weighted values by scores to get subtotals. Add up subtotals within each major topic area. Then add totals of all categories to get a grand total.

5. Compare grand totals of candidates. The candidate with the highest score would receive your vote according to the Voter Scorecard Decision-Making Method of Voting. Candidates or issues can be additionally compared across major topic areas (e.g.,  “Foreign”) or subtopic areas (e.g., “education).

Suggested Scoring

One method of scoring The Voter Scorecard is given below. If you find that you have difficulties scoring or did not have an opinion, you may wish to find out more relevant information so you can either form an opinion or come to firmer conclusions.

Select the appropriate number to end the sentence :

Regarding this aspect of the candidate/issue, I :

7 – AM STRONGLY FAVORABLE

6 – AM FAVORABLE

5 – AM SLIGHTLY FAVORABLE

4 – HAVE NO OPINION

3 – AM SLIGHTLY UNFAVORABLE

2 – AM UNFAVORABLE

1 – AM STRONGLY UNFAVORABLE

The Voter Scorecard for the US General Presidential Election 2012 (Note : This line can be changed)

Decision : Choosing a President in the US General Election for 2012 (Note : This line can be changed)

Candidate/ Issue: _________________________________

Picture Can Be Placed Here

Areas To Consider            Weighting : Relative Importance            Score            Subtotals

__________________________________________________________________________________________

[Foreign:    ]   ________________________________________________________________________________

Trade           __________________________________________________________________________________

Defense      __________________________________________________________________________________

Terrorism __________________________________________________________________________________

Sanctions __________________________________________________________________________________

Drugs        __________________________________________________________________________________

*Aid (added as write-in)* ______________________________________________________________________

_________________________________________________________________________________________

Foreign Subtotal :______

[Domestic:    ] ______________________________________________________________________________

Taxes           ________________________________________________________________________________

Energy        ________________________________________________________________________________

Budget Deficit ______________________________________________________________________________

Education ________________________________________________________________________________

Environment ______________________________________________________________________________

Health ___________________________________________________________________________________

Jobs ____________________________________________________________________________________

Welfare __________________________________________________________________________________

Urban Policy ______________________________________________________________________________

Wages ___________________________________________________________________________________

Law & Order ______________________________________________________________________________

Drugs ___________________________________________________________________________________

Abortion ________________________________________________________________________________

*Immigration (added as write-in)*______________________________________________________________

________________________________________________________________________________________

Domestic Subtotal : ______

[The Person (if examining candidate versus an issue) :    ] ____________________________________________

Reliability _______________________________________________________________________________

Stability _________________________________________________________________________________

Honesty _________________________________________________________________________________

Intelligence _______________________________________________________________________________

Judgement ________________________________________________________________________________

Insight ___________________________________________________________________________________

Creativity _________________________________________________________________________________

Leadership ________________________________________________________________________________

Past Record ________________________________________________________________________________

*Intuition (added as write-in)*__________________________________________________________________

*Integrity (added as write-in)*___________________________________________________________________

*Trustworthiness (added as write-in)*____________________________________________________________

_________________________________________________________________________________________

The Person Subtotal______

[Write-In Major Topic:_______    ] _______________________________________________________________

Subtopic:____________________________________________________________________________________

___________________________________________________________________________________________

Write-In Subtotal : _______

[Write-In Major Topic:_______    ] _______________________________________________________________

Subtopic:__________________________________________________________________________________

__________________________________________________________________________________________

Write-In Subtotal:_________

Grand Total :[______]

 

Glossary

 

Some Glossary Examples:

(The Voter Scorecard user could choose to define any terms in the way that they choose.)

“Foreign policy refers to the ways in which nations advance their interests and objectives in world politics. Countries ordinarily pursue their objectives through diplomacy (official negotiations) with other countries and through participation in international organizations. However, in certain cases, countries use military force to protect their interests…foreign policy commonly include environmental protection, human rights issues, international trade, and the prevention or resolution of armed conflict…” (The World Book Encyclopedia 2011, F, Volume 7, page 387, copyright 2011)

Intuition or Sensation-Intuition :

In the dissertation titled “The Relationship Between the Myers-Briggs Type Indicator and Strong-Campbell Interest Inventory”, copyrighted and originally published in 1992, on pages 195-196 (information was referenced from Myers I.B. & McCaulley, M.H., 1985, “Manual : A guide to the development and use of the Myers-Briggs Type Indicator.” Palo Alto, CA : Consulting Psychologists Press.) the author wrote : “Sensing and intuition are ways of becoming aware of things, people, events, or ideas, being attuned to the flow of events. Sensing is perception by the senses and establishes what exists. The focus is on what is presently happening and what is real. Persons oriented toward sensing often enjoy the present, are realistic, observe well with a good memory for details, and are practical. Intuition enables perception of possibilities, meanings, and relationships through insight. Intuitive perceptions can be hunches, creative discoveries, and seeing patterns among events, originating in the unconscious. Persons oriented toward intuition may neglect present reality, be imaginative, theoretical, abstract, future oriented, or creative.”

The Voter Scorecard                              Copyright  ©  1988, 2011 Louis DeCola, Jr. All Rights Reserved

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