Getting more involved with politics can be hard, especially when you have no idea where to start. Here are some tips to get started and understand what to do before this year’s election.
1. Understanding Your Morals
Start with getting out a notebook and write down what you believe in. What are your thoughts on health care? POC issues? Women’s rights? Foreign affairs? Gun control? LGBTQ+ rights? Immigration? Once you get your morals in place, you have your political standpoint.
2. Learning What Each Political Parties Stand For
There are two major political parties within the United States: Democrats and Republicans. There are others, but if you are apart of those parties, you won’t be able to vote in the primary elections. This is due to the two-party system that the United States adopted gradually over the years. Know each of their histories and know their political stances to see which one fits your political standpoint the best.
3. Picking A Candidate
When an election happens, there are usually a lot of candidates before the primaries pick one specific nominee for the general election. Before the primaries, you want to start looking into what the candidates’ policies are. Look at their history and who they are as people. Are their policies backed up by their activism or history of advocating? Do they match your political standpoint to the best of their abilities?
If your favorite candidate drops out or doesn’t make it past the primaries, pick from the two top nominees of each party and decide who matches your values. They will be who you vote for in the general election.
4. Registering To Vote
The previous points are all great, but it won’t matter if you don’t register to vote. Also, if you know anyone who is 16 or older, they can pre-register to vote in California. That way, when they turn 18, they will automatically get their voting material.
5. Getting Involved
Another way to get involved in politics is sign petitions, donate to non-profit organizations, educate yourself on issues happening today, and helping others gain the education and material for politics. Remember to always educate yourself on issues that are occurring today. Without that education and proper sources, your opinion won’t be strong and could affect your standpoint.
Remember that “not being that into politics” is almost impossible. Ignoring politics is ignoring reality. What you eat, prices on various items, the gas you put in your car, insurance, housing, school, even that cute purse you bought at Michael Kors all revolve around politics, one way or another. It affects you all the time. It’s okay if you don’t talk about it, but be conscious of the political world because it could negatively affect you.