At the time of this writing, mid-term elections in the U.S. are coming up so make sure to cast your vote either in person or through an absentee ballot if your state allows. Your voice matters! There are a significant number of eligible voters who abstain from voting making it difficult to effect actual change. If you’re unhappy with the current state of affairs or want to keep the status quo, then voting in elections makes sure that you are doing your due part as a member of society. There are so many people before us who fought for the rights we have today and that would not have happened without their active participation. Be one of those people now and in the future!
I always thought voting was a confusing process since my parents didn’t vote, so I want to break it down for those seeking guidance. This is specifically for U.S. elections and may differ from state to state at the time of this post. Please check official federal and state government websites for the most up-to-date information! With that said:
Who Can Vote?
Full details available at https://www.usa.gov/who-can-vote.
- U.S. citizens
- People meeting your state’s residency requirements
- Must be at least 18 years old on or before Election Day
How to Vote?
Register First
Full details here: https://www.usa.gov/voter-registration
If you haven’t registered yet, don’t give up at the first step. Take this as your opportunity to get registered to vote in future elections!
Voting Methods
Full details here: https://www.usa.gov/election-day
- In person (on Election Day or early-voting options may be available)
- Absentee ballots by mail. These need to be requested in advance as specified by your state’s rules.
Who Do I Vote For?
This is where it gets very personal and touchy for many people. Luckily, we’ve got the Internet at our fingertips and it is easier than ever to research and gain knowledge. First, I advise you to pick out the most important issues you want to see changed and write that down or make a mental note. Then, see if you align more with the core philosophies of one of the two largest U.S. political parties: the Democratic Party or the Republican Party. The reason behind this is on the ballot, there will be a bunch of names/issues to vote on and for the most part the people on the ballot will be affiliated with one of those 2 parties so you’ll get a rough sense of their stance.
If you prefer to vote more neutrally, then there will be a lot of researching to find out the political views of the candidates, what they want to accomplish, their background, and views on long-debated issues.
Generally speaking, there is no right way to decide who or what to vote for. The best case is to do your due diligence to make sure the people and issues you decide to cast a vote for align with your values and the issues you care about more than the other candidate. Nowadays, finding out all this information is made even easier with a big, shiny asterisk of AI tools if you’re not opposed to using them and double checking the sources used to derive the response.
Overall, yes, voting does require action and time on your part but it’s not too much effort to expend in the grand scheme of things. The most important part is that you do give yourself the option to vote by first becoming a registered voter. Then the rest of the work becomes more routine with time and your active participation in elections can make real change happen. Don’t delay!
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