Written by: Alexis Dewey
I went to the election polls with a friend a few years ago to vote for our state and local government representatives. Before arriving at the poll site, I researched the candidates running for the different offices. When I arrived at the voting precinct, I knew exactly who I wanted to vote for and why. I voted, got my cute little sticker and waited on my friend.
After my friend voted and we left in the car, I began talking about how I had not found much research on a few candidates, so I struggled determining who to support. My friend then said that she had not researched any of the candidates and did not know who any of them were. My jaw nearly dropped to the floor, and my cute “I voted” sticker fell off my shirt, disappointed.
The United States has many political parties, but the two main ones are the Republican and Democratic parties. I don’t think I need to go into the details of what each of these parties believes, as I’m sure most of you already know or have a basic understanding of them. Republicans are considered more conservative, while Democrats are seen as more liberal. That is just the way it is.
I have noticed that people often associate themselves with a particular party that aligns with their ideologies and beliefs. This strategy makes sense. Why would you not support the party you agree with the most? However, simply because you belong to that party does not mean you should vote for everyone running within that party. What if, instead, we all voted for the person who aligns with what we want and believe rather than just the person endorsed by a certain party?
Let me give you an example. One year, I decided to vote for a county official in my town who was not in the party I identified with at that time. I did this because when I researched the candidate’s standings on specific issues, I disagreed with him on several things, including the fact that he wanted to restrict and eventually get rid of homeschooling in my area. Therefore, I voted for the other candidate more closely aligned with my wants and beliefs.
This is a prime example of why we should take our time to research candidates and issues before we vote. We can have a strong opinion only if we research first. I firmly believe in voting, but I also understand the difficulty of staying up-to-date with the news while in college. After a full day of work, classes and homework, the last thing I want to do is read the news — mainly because it is not usually positive. However, staying informed about the current events in our country is important.
With 2024 being an election year, it is important to start researching now, because early voting for the primary elections is already underway, and the November elections will be here before we know it.
