For the past few months we have been bombarded with candidates who are running for president. However, with the 2016 presidential election about a year away, now is the time to start paying attention. With 19 candidates in total there are a lot of people to consider. Here are five easy steps to make yourself an educated voter by the time the election rolls around.
1. Watch Debates: Debates are a great way to get to know more about candidates. There have already been several debates, but, there are plenty more to come. When watching debates you get to see candidate’s ability to think on their feet and see how informed they are about the current state of affairs. It’s also a good chance to see how they conduct themselves when they have the policies questioned.
2. Be Aware of Potential Biases: Everyone innately has some form of a political bias. It’s important that you keep an eye out for any biases people may have. These biases can cause people to paint certain candidate’s in a positive light and others in a negative light. Keep your wits about you and realize that there is a difference between fact and opinion.
3. Do Your Research: A quick Google search can give you extensive information on candidates background and policies that they plan to implement if elected. You might find through doing research that someone you thought you liked has done or said something that changes you mind. But be warned! Wikipedia isn’t the only potential inaccurate source. Don’t trust candidate’s specific websites or even their oppositions. These people are going to do and say anything to get elected. The best way to know if something is true is to check it out. See if you can find the same information in multiple places, then you’ll know you’re on the right track.
4. Learn What You Really Care About: There are a lot of different issues and the candidates have a lot of different stances on these issues. It’s important that you find a few of these issues that are really important to you. Chances are that you won’t agree on everything a candidate says, but if you have a few things you really want the next president to tackle then it’ll be easier to find someone who you want to vote for.
5. Keep an Open Mind: Even if you find that you like a candidate now, things can change. A year is still a year and that is a lot of time for you opinions to change. Just remember that you have plenty of time to figure out who you want to be your next president. But keep your mind and options open. You don’t have to vote for someone because your parents or friends are voting for them. You also don’t have to tell anyone that you support someone. Ultimately your decision is your own and as long as you feel good about it that’s all that matters!
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