Between academics, extracurriculars, work and attempting to have a social life, it’s hard for college students to keep up with the details of today’s politics. Not to mention, political actions go public half a second after they happen considering the time we’re live in now with social media. We get it’s difficult to keep up, but we also know that it is important to be informed, especially with the upcoming election.
We’ve compiled a list of sources to help you keep up to date with current politics quickly and thoroughly so you don’t have to take time away from everything else you’ve got going on.
- BallotPedia
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This site calls itself “The Encyclopedia of American Politics,” and I would have to agree. Whether you’re looking for small details about a candidate’s policy or a general overview of the democratic debate, BallotPedia can help. They also use graphics that make it easier to understand and more interesting. In addition, they provide an optional newsletter subscription that can help to keep you up to date on a daily basis.
- Politifact
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The current political climate is filled with lots of “He said, She said” and questionable information. This is why you should use Politifact. It’s a fact-checking website for all things politics, ranging from recent tweets from legislators to quotes from news releases. They’ll tell you whether something said is false, half-true, or 100% fact. This is helpful to get rid of all of the clutter of fake promises and generalized statements we sometimes hear from politicians. Plus, being run by The Poynter Institute, Politifact makes a great source for school papers as well.
- IssueVoter
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Getting to know the candidates’ general policy information is a plus, but getting to see which way they vote on what bills? Even better. IssueVoter does this and more to help not only keep Americans informed but also keep representatives honest. In addition, IssueVoter let’s you write opinion letters to your representative directly, a democratic right many Americans fail to do.
- Vote411
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Brought by the League of Women Voters Education Fund, Vote411 is a one stop shop to get you prepared for the election. This site is essential for all: it help you register to vote, checks your voter registration status and gets you educated on what will be on your ballot. Vote411 can help you find your polling place and learn about any upcoming political events in your area, especially for those of us that are new to voting or perhaps just moved to a new location.
Politics can seem overwhelming to those of us that have a laundry list of other things going on in our life, but nevertheless, politics are important and affect every single one of us. Using these sites to get registered to vote, become educated on your ballot and keep up with the running candidates for the upcoming election, you’ll be a politics pro in no time.