Voting is one of the most important duties you can perform as an American citizen, and it is a privilege to live in a country where we are afforded that right! When Election Day rolls around next time, here are a few things you should know before you make your way to the polls and cast your vote.
- Your vote matters.
I know this personally because when I was in elementary school, my father was running for the school board. To win, a candidate had to have 50% of the votes plus 1 more vote to have the majority. There were three candidates running, and my dad earned exactly 50% of the votes, so the election had to go to a runoff between him and the second place candidate. He did end up winning, but just one more vote could have saved him and my family a lot of time and money. Every vote counts! - Be kind and courteous at the polls.
There will inevitably be many other people at the polls who think differently than you, but that doesn’t give you or them the right to treat one another in an inconsiderate manner. Your political views don’t define you and theirs don’t define them, so don’t let something like that cause conflict between you and disrupt the election process. - You don’t have to feel pressured to vote a certain way.
Your friends and family may feel very strongly about a certain candidate or party, but that doesn’t mean you have to vote the same way they do. You can, if their views reflect your own, but if they don’t, remember that you have the right to vote they way you want to vote. Your loved ones aren’t going to disown you if you vote a different way (they don’t even have to know). If your state offers an online voting system, that’s another way to maintain your privacy. - It’s okay to change your political affiliations.
It used to be that most people would choose a political party and vote for members of that party year after year, but that trend is not the norm anymore. You don’t have to claim a party, and you can vote for candidates from different parties if you like what they stand for. If you grew up supporting one party, there’s nothing wrong with changing sides or staying in the middle once you start to gain more knowledge about the parties. - Don’t wear any political clothing to the polls.
While some people may want to show their support for their candidate or party, it is recommended to not do that. The poll workers may ask you to leave if they think your political paraphernalia is distracting, and there’s really no telling what they find distracting. Also, going along with this, don’t cause issues with other people who may be brazenly supporting an opposing candidate. Each of you gets one vote, so may the best candidate win. - You don’t have to disclose who you voted for.
The greatest aspect of our voting system is that it is completely confidential so you are not obligated to tell anybody who you voted for. You can if you want to, but if you hold a differing opinion from most people and you don’t want everyone to know about it, you have every right to keep that information to yourself. - Encourage others to vote.
If you know that your friends or family aren’t registered to vote and they’re eligible to do so, you should encourage them to get to the polls and participate in the election process. Be sure to not pressure them into voting for a certain candidate (even if you feel very strongly about it) and allow them to do their research and make their own decisions. - Do your homework.
The worst thing you can do (other than not voting at all) is to be an uninformed voter. If you don’t know what someone stands for, and you help them become elected, you really don’t know what you’re supporting. Instead, figure out what each candidate stands for and choose the people who mesh with your own interests and values, so your views will be represented. - Voting local is important.
Everyone gets excited about electing the President and national Congress members, but not as much about state representatives and even less so when it comes to electing local reps. But, this is very counter-intuitive because your local politician’s decisions will probably affect you and your family a lot more than most of the decisions made at the state or national level. You want your voice to be heard in your own town, so go vote! - Nothing will change if you don’t speak up.
As citizens of a democratic country, it is our civic duty and responsibility to elect the most competent leaders to govern our country. Our government is what we make of it, so if we don’t vote to change things, nothing will ever change. Complaining doesn't count. Votes do.
