How to Verify Facts in Political Ads
- 1). Write down the facts, figures or claims in an ad you want to check.
- 2). Visit a political fact-checking website like FactCheck.org or PolitiFact. Organizations design these sites to meet your precise needs. You can search by ad or issue so that you do not have to search fact-by-fact.
- 3). Check government sources if you still want more information on the voting history of a candidate. Each voting body of government has an electronic database of voting history for its members. For example, check the voting history of a U.S. Senator by visiting the Senate Web site for legislation and records.
- 4). Check additional government sources if you still want more information on the voting history of a candidate. For example, the government keeps the federal budget online, searchable by fiscal year and subsection.
- 5). Watch or read reputable journalistic outlets for information regarding issues or candidates' life histories. Look to leading newspapers honored for their work in this area. For example, The St. Petersburg Times won the Pulitzer Prize in 2009 for their PolitiFact online resource, which allows readers to fact-check the details of a candidate's life story, like their education experience or military service.