FAQ'S

Who are the Urban Independents?

We have sometimes been a group of 50, sometimes a unit of 1. We are teachers, graphic designers, lawyers, social workers, marathoners, consultants, ultimate players, biomedical researchers, immigrants, Buddhists, Christians, Quakers, Type A's and slackers. What brings us together is our hope for leadership that inspires us, represents us, and speaks for us when we have no voice.

Why is your guide different?

(1) It is completely volunteer-based and produced without ties to any one organization or political party.
(2) It is not a slate of a few "endorsed" cream-of-the-crop progessive candidates out of all of the races. Rather, it is a listing of all the opposed races in the metro area, with our best informed estimation of who would be the strongest progressive candidate for that position, given the choices. In other words, some of our selected candidates are exceptional progressives who embody our values, while others are simply less anti-progressive than their opponents.

What are progressive values?

Core progressive values include:
Freedom • Hope • Community • Compassion • Responsibility • Equality • Opportunity • Family • Trust

How do you get paid?

We don't. We pay for the distribution of our guides and the cost of maintaining our website out-of-pocket.  

What factors do you weigh when making a selection?

We consider the candidates' views and records on our main issues, how clean (i.e. non-corrupt) s/he is, how smart s/he is, and what are his/her chances of actually being elected to office. We tend to support incumbents unless they are particularly terrible, or a new candidate is particularly stellar. This is because incumbents may have already built important alliances and/or be in leadership positions that may help the progressive causes we care about.

In the primary, why is the guide only for the Democratic primary?

In a primary race in Georgia, voters must choose either a Democratic or a Republican ticket. Our ultimate goal is to elect progressive candidates to office. Because the majority of the progressive candidates right now are on the Democratic ticket, we concentrate our efforts on researching those races. We simply don't have the volunteers and the time needed to research both tickets for the primary.

Why do you tend to encourage a NO vote on amendments to the State Constitution?

The one place where we are "conservative" is when it comes to amending the constitution - the most profound action the electorate can take.  Amendments are often driven by special interests (even those we agree with) to advance a narrow agenda. Often they are written in one-sided or even misleading language to garner a YES vote without an explanation of any negative impacts. We challenge ourselves to study all aspects of each amendment carefully and consider it cautiously. In general, we start from a NO vote and would have to be convinced to vote YES on the basis of if (a) the amendment either extends or protects the human rights and/or resources of Georgians, and/or (b) the amendment benefits a group of Georgians or beyond those already in a position of power.

Where do I find out about elections and voting in Georgia?

State of Georgia Elections Division

Fulton County Department of Registration and Elections
DeKalb County Voter Registration and Elections