While I’m somewhat certain of whom I back in national elections I’m much less certain for local ones. Candidates blow at giving information about both their platform and government epistomology so have been searching for a voting algorithm for a few years, I think I’ve found one.
In a two candidate race, vote for the guy whose opponent sends the dumbest attack literature. For instance, a candidate for state rep sent the following:
Chris King, is in favor of nationalizing healthcare (which he can’t do as a state rep), liberal supreme court justices (which are direct elections in PA and appointed at the national level) and wants to raise the crippling sales tax (crippling, really? If you can’t pay six percent, I’d reconsider the purchase).
Mind you, there’s one exception.  Our local tax officer gets paid $60,000 a year and their office is open 12 hours a week. If actuarial science doesn’t work out I’m going to run for that position on the “I’ll be open when you can actually get to my office” platform.