The 2020 primaries are right around the corner, with Iowa starting us off on February 3. But with so much going on, how can a Covenant College student know how to vote? In this guide, you will learn the ins and outs of how to vote, where to vote, and how to gather information to help you determine for whom you should vote.
First, make sure you are registered to vote
Go to your home state’s official voting website and check to make sure that you are registered to vote. For Tennessee and Georgia, you’ll have to be registered by February 3 and February 24, respectively, in order to vote in the primaries!
Second, send in a request for an absentee ballot, and pick a party
After you have confirmed that you are registered to vote, make sure to ask for an absentee ballot from your state’s voting office. This form can be found on the same website as your registration status. You’ll also have to select a party - Democrat, Republican or Independent. You’ll be locked into that party for the primary, but you’ll be able to vote across the line during the general election in November.
Third, practice filling out a ballot, so you’ll be ready for the real deal
On the same website, you can find a sample absentee ballot. Practice filling this ballot out beforehand. If you make a mistake on the official ballot, you’ll have to request a new ballot from the voting office. If you’ve waited until the last minute or had to get a new ballot, you may miss the voting deadlines. As soon as you receive your ballot, fill it in and send it back before election day. If the ballot does not reach the voting office before the polls close, it won’t count.
Fourth, research the candidates on their websites
Most candidates today have their own personal websites. Use these to learn more about what each candidate believes, and what they support. If a candidate’s website mentions an outside group they support, research that as well. Often, groups that a candidate support will be far more revealing about his or her goals than the candidate is. For instance, when doing research, you may find out that someone you thought was a moderate, is actually more extreme in their views. Church affiliation is also an important thing to research--a candidate may claim to be a Christian, but his/her church might say otherwise.
Fifth, see what bills the candidate has supported in the past
Nothing is as revealing as a candidate’s voting history. A candidate can claim to support anything, but when the rubber meets the road, how do they really vote?
Sixth, when researching candidates, be aware of biased media
All media has a bias, but some may be more blatantly biased than other media. It’s even possible for news sites to be owned or run by the candidates themselves, so be careful! Also, there are multiple sources online that can show the degree to which a news source is linked to party propaganda.
Seventh, always use multiple sources
As the media grows more partisan by the day, it’s wise to use multiple sources with different political loyalties while researching the candidates. For example, you should use not only Fox and CNN, but also newspapers such as The Wall Street Journal and the Washington Post. Different newspapers emphasize different things, so it’s important to view more than one in this important decision.
Effective voting may seem difficult, but it can be really simple to achieve. Just remember, voting could only take a few hours out of your life now, and the people we vote for today will truly make an impact on the future. As the great Greek orator, Pericles, once said, “Just because you do not take an interest in politics, doesn’t mean politics won’t take an interest in you.”