How to Get Involved in the Political Process

You don’t have to be a politician to participate in the political process. How many people in countries all over the world would kill or die to have the freedoms, rights and privileges that we have here in the United States? How many people in our own country’s history have done so? Don’t you owe it to them – and to yourself to find a way to participate in the process that so many people only dream of? If you’re one of those people who believes that you have to be a politician to participate in the political process, I’m here to tell you that just isn’t so. The fact is, if you don’t bother to get involved and take action then you deserve whoever gets elected and you won’t have anything to say about it after the fact.

Pick a Team

The first thing you need to do is pick a side. Too many people avoid picking a side by saying “I vote for the individual, not the party.” Well that would be just great if everyone who said that actually made a point of going out and speaking to each candidate but the sad fact is that they won’t. They’ll vote for the best looking guy or the person whose name they heard the most on the radio the week before the election. Don’t let somebody’s advertising budget choose who you’ll vote for. Pick a team!

In order to make a knowledgeable decision on which team you’ll choose, you’ll have to do a little homework. Visit the national parties’ websites and read their platforms. Don’t just decide to be a Democrat because your father was a Democrat. News Flash! It ain’t your Daddy’s Democratic Party anymore! Get in there, get the information and make a conscious decision to join the team that you actually belong on. Visit www.GOP.com and www.democrats.org and pick your team!

Register

The next thing you need to do is register to vote. Most people avoid this by saying, “If I register to vote, I’ll get called up on jury duty and I can’t afford to miss work.” Well, I’ve got an answer for that one too! I’d been a registered voter since I was 18. The first time I was ever called for jury duty was when I was 28. The next time was when I was 38. Once every ten years isn’t so bad to do your civic duty. Besides, did you know that when you get called for jury duty, there are many reasons for which you can be excused from that duty? If you’re ever lucky enough to be called, they’ll give you several choices on the card and then they’ll give you more choices once you report. When you consider what others have given for their freedoms, and ours, a day of jury duty really isn’t asking all that much.

What District Do You Live In?

When you register to vote, be sure to ask your local elections official what district and precinct you live in. You’ll want to make a note of this information as it will come in very handy later. While you’re there, you’ll also want to find out where your local polling place is. Each precinct has it’s own polling place and that will be the place where you will go to do your voting.
Working on election day? No problem! Most states have liberal absentee voting regulations and you can simply request that an absentee ballot be mailed to your home. Simply vote when it is convenient for you and just be sure to mail your ballot in before election day.

The next thing you should be concerned with is finding out who your currently elected representatives are. Who are the people on your school board, city commission and county commission? Who are your representatives in the state legislature or assembly? Who is your congressman? Who are your state senators? Find out who these people are and what they stand for. Are they the kind of people you want to re-elect?

Now that you’ve registered and become a minimally informed voter, it’s time for you to get active in the political process. Do you have a few extra hours every month? The best way to get involved is to volunteer. If you go to your party’s national website, you’ll find links to each state party organization. State parties generally have contact information on their websites for local party organizations. Contact your local party and tell them how much time you’d like to volunteer and they’ll find a way for you to get involved. If you’re one of those people who simply doesn’t have the time to help out personally, consider sending a check to your local party. All politics is local, so start with your local party and if you want to give more, consider giving to your state and national party or candidates.

Finally, be sure to inform yourself. Read your local newspaper and attend candidate forums. Attend school board and city council meetings. Showing up is half the battle. Attend the meetings of your local party and, when the urge hits you to speak out about something, do it with a letter to your local newspaper’s editor.

Every American is granted the right to vote with their citizenship. People have died to be able to grant you that right. Because of that, it is your duty to get involved in the political process. You don’t have to be a politician to participate in the political process. In fact, if every American were actively involved in the political process in a constructive manner, they’d have the government they want – not the one they deserve.