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Step 1
Make the time. With the fast pace of modern life, it’s often difficult to find time to eat, work and sleep, much less study-up on modern politics, but remember--in a democracy there is nothing more fundamental than having the right to vote. If you put aside just a few moments each week to catch-up on current political news, you’ll be a master of the issues before you know it.
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Step 2
Study up on the issues. Newspapers have lost much of their appeal and readership in the past decade due to the rise of the Internet and additional cable news sources, but the oldest news source is still the best when it comes to concise, in-depth reporting on both local and national events. TV news is okay too, but the paper not only provides more information, it also has a sports section and can be read at the park.
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Step 3
Decide what you want in a candidate. Now that you know something about the issues, you need to decide what qualities and background you want in a leader and where each candidate stands on the issues that concern you most. Candidates can be judged in two ways—by what their positions are on issues, and by what character traits and leadership skills you want them to possess.
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Step 4
Check out each candidate’s website. While some local candidates for minor offices may not have their own websites, most county, state and national office-seekers do, and they are a great source of information on each candidate’s background and current campaign. They are one-sided information sources however, so make sure you check any claims that sound inaccurate—like voting records—with public records and other sources.
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Step 5
Observe the candidates on the campaign trail. Candidates attend a number of different public events throughout the campaign season. The local political party headquarters can tell you where and when their candidates will be making public appearances and speeches in your area. National candidates make television appearances on numerous cable news programs and widely televised debates throughout their campaigns. The more often you see and hear a candidate, the better equipped you’ll be to judge his or her strengths and weaknesses.
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Step 6
Carefully check the candidates’ public record. Some candidates are political newcomers, but most are political veterans with records to run on—or run away from. In either case, their voting histories and public statements are available in the congressional records, newspaper pages and websites of every county, city and state in the country. Do their records match their campaign promises?
