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<p>It is important to know who you will be voting for. </p>

<p>As organisations, we encourage you to research the profile of candidates and make the information available to their constituency. It is important to <b>make the information you get about a candidate available publicly</b>, either on a website, through newsletters or media coverage so that people know about a candidate’s position about LGBT issues and human rights in general.</p><p>You can do this by:</p>
<ul>

<li><b>Developing a questionnaire</b> to ask about a candidate’s view on issues of importance to LGBT people, send it to candidates and map them according to their responses. (For example, see the ILGA-Europe questionnaire for the European Parliament elections 2004, the document is available on the bottom of this page) </li>

</ul>

<ul>

<li><b>Writing to candidates</b> to present your key concerns as a citizen and to ask specific questions about candidates’ position. Ask them to respond in writing to have something to hold them accountable. As there are a large number of potential candidates, you could limit yourself to writing to those candidates who either have the most chance of being elected or who have an interest in LGBT issues.</li>

</ul>

<ul>

<li><b>Publishing the track record of current MEPs on human rights, and in particular LGBT issues. </b>Here are the voting records of MEPs on key resolutions passed in Parliament in recent years. These will tell you a lot about the position of those who are running for elections again.</li>

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<a name="eztoc79130_0_1" id="eztoc79130_0_1"></a><h3 class="MsoNormal"><a href="http://www.ilga-europe.org/europe/campaigns_projects/ep2009/what_can_you_do/get_to_know_the_candidates_and_their_position_on_human_rights_and_lgbt_issues/summary_of_voting_records_of_members_of_the_european_parliament_recent_resolutions_relevant_to_the_rights_of_lgbt_people_2004_2009" target="_self">SUMMARY OF VOTING RECORDS OF MEMBERS OF THE EUROPEAN PARLIAMENT - RECENT RESOLUTIONS RELEVANT TO THE RIGHTS OF LGBT PEOPLE (2004-2009) </a></h3><p class="MsoNormal">Questionnaires and/or letters should be short and concise, should have clear messages. Remember that candidates receive a lot of information and correspondence. </p><p class="MsoNormal">If time permits, it can be useful to follow up letters and questionnaires by <b>meeting with national candidates</b> to present your key demands and get them to commit to advancing LGBT rights as future MEP. Meetings are a good way to establish personal contacts with those who, if they are elected, could become important partners in lobbying for LGBT issues.</p><p class="MsoNormal">Meeting with candidates prior to the elections will send them a clear message that you are closely monitoring the election process and that you are there to hold them accountable. A meeting can be an opportunity to ask current MEPs about their record on LGBT issues in the Parliament and hold them accountable. </p>

<p class="MsoNormal">This article compiles the voting records of members of the European Parliament on resolutions adopted since 2004 which are relevant to the rights of LGBT people.</p>

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