Trying to be wiser at the polls

I find that incumbent or not, locally the better choices I see are Republicans, for those who care about parties. I really don't care which party, but I am interested in the person. The papers here (online) sometimes detail persons and their short bios. I have read a few ideas, as they were, from some locals who had some good ideas. Others were a bit off. I am compiling a short list for the polls to, hopefully, better and "more wisely" vote, having a better feel for more of the candidates. I have often been ignorant of too many candidates and haven't voted for a particular office, because I could not effectively vote, knowing nothing of any candidate.