How to Figure Out Who to Vote For

Voting is one way to have influence over the government.

Voting is a form of civic engagement in which citizens choose whom they'd like to have represent their interests. People pay taxes to the government, and in a democratic system, they have a say in how that money is spent. There is not a single way to choose whom to vote for, but there are key questions to ask yourself as you make your choice.

Things You'll Need

• Computer
• Internet access

Instructions

1. 

   You must register if you would like to vote in an election.

   Register to vote, unless you live in North Dakota, which does not require registration. Visit your state's election Web page to begin the registration process and check deadlines, as most jurisdictions require you to register several weeks ahead of Election Day. Go to your local elections office if you do not have a computer or Internet access. If you will not be in the district in which you're registering on Election Day, you can apply for an absentee ballot.

2. Decide which issues are important to you. There are single issues, such as abortion, the death penalty and job creation, but you must also decide the type of candidate you generally support, such as their views on taxes and the role of government.

3. Research the candidates who are running in the election. Understand the issues that are important to them and their position on current policy debates.

4. Read articles from credible news sources. Read the endorsements that newspapers write. Endorsements are a publication's official support for one candidate. They do background research on the candidate and offer an educated opinion to help voters choose their candidate.

5. Research the candidate's voting history. This indicates their values in terms of policy and the types of changes they will support. Other information, such as committee participation, also indicates what issues are important to them.

6. Follow the election until Election Day. Be sure your candidate hasn't changed views on an issue that you care about or dropped out of the race.

Tips & Warnings

• Talk with your friends about the election and get their opinions on the people running.

• Watch a debate between the candidates to hear them discuss various issues.

• Read all of the voter registration material to ensure that you complete all the steps to be able to vote on Election Day.

References

• Register-Vote.com: Register to Vote

Resources

• The Washington Post: The U.S. Congress Votes Database