How to Vote Democrat

The Democratic Party has been part of American politics for more than 200 years, and currently stands as one of the two main political parties that share control of our country's government. Their platform stresses strong social programs, workers' rights and protection from exploitative business practices. If you want to vote Democrat, learn first what the party stands for and then where the individual candidates stand in relation to these principles.

Difficulty:

Easy

Instructions

1. Educate yourself about the issues. Before you can vote, you need to know what you're voting on. A thorough and balanced diet of news (from a number of sources to help cut down on bias), as well as an understanding of issues that affect your local community will help you articulate how you intend to vote.

2. Learn when elections will take place in your area. This means not only national elections and primaries, but state and local elections as well. Many Democratic candidates run for local or state office, and they often have a more direct impact on your area than national elections.

3. Register to vote. You cannot vote unless you're registered, and dozens of sites such as Register to Vote.com can help you do it in just a few minutes (see Resources below). You should register for the Democratic Party if you wish to vote Democrat, though some areas may allow you to register as an independent or even a Republican and still vote Democrat in certain elections.

4. Learn the Democratic Party platform. The platform is drafted every 4 years during the Democrats' national convention, and spells out their policy for various social and political issues. The current platform can be found on the Democratic home page (see Resources below).

5. Request a voter's guide before every election. The party will send out voter's guides for their members, endorsing specific candidates and delivering their opinions on state and local ballot initiatives. The easiest way to vote Democrat is simply to follow their recommendations.

6. Check party affiliation before you vote. Democratic candidates will usually have their affiliation printed next to them on the ballot, allowing you to vote for them easily.

Tips & Warnings

• Like the Republicans, the Democrats are a very large party, encompassing a number of different demographics with varying (sometimes even contradictory) goals. It is certainly possible to disagree with parts of what the Democrats stand for and still vote Democrat overall. Study the issues carefully and decide where you and the party may diverge.

Resources

• Register to Vote.com to register to vote.
• The Democratic Party home page for information on how to vote Democrat.
• The Democratic Party platform, representing their position on a number of issues.
• The local headquarters search engine for contact information for nearby Democratic offices.