Staying Informed and Aware of Political Issues

Although many of us vote in each election, being an informed voter is far different than simply voting. Being informed of the issues means filtering out political lingo so that you understand what each candidate, initiative and proposition is really about.
 
While staying up-to-date on all the latest political news is always a good idea, knowing the issues and understanding the various stances is especially important during an election. Being an informed citizen gives you the unique opportunity of being able to make a difference.

A democracy works by having voters take the personal initiative to learn as much as they can about each issue, form personal opinions about the issues and candidates and ultimately vote their consciences. Voters who know about what they are voting for make better choices than voters who know nothing or very little about an issue.

How to Stay Informed

Being an informed voter is not always easy. With so much conflicting and biased information out there, it can take some time to cipher through and find the heart of an issue. The key is to compare a variety of sources, understand who is behind each source and identify sources that are credible and relatively neutral.

One popular source for political information is Internet, which provides users with a plethora of the latest information about a variety of topics. The Internet includes many sites dedicated to helping voters of all ages and backgrounds stay current with all the political happenings in countries around the world. Similarly, other sites are devoted to covering specific candidates or political parties, helping you determine the ideologies that will guide certain candidates.

Here are some ways to become informed at the local, state and national levels of government:

  • Become a member of local and national political forums.
  • Get involved in programs designed to help young kids learn about the voting process.
  • Read blogs.
  • Read political material that comes in your mail.
  • Read your local and national newspapers.
  • Read news and/or political magazines.
  • Talk and/or e-mail with your local and state political officials.
  • Talk with friends, neighbors, co-workers, etc. about political issues.
  • Visit Internet sites that offer information about current political issues.
  • Visit Internet sites of state officials, congressmen, different political parties, etc.
  • Watch debates among political candidates on television.
  • Watch the news.

By getting information from a variety of sources, you can effectively understand the various sides of any given topic.

Keep in mind that you may have to do a bit of work to seek out opposing viewpoints to any political issue or candidate. However, this time investment will pay off in that it will give you a balance view of an issue, helping you to make the best decision possible. Some Web sites today offer a non-partisan of the world's events, making it easier for your to form your own views and opinions.

Being an informed voter is a duty and a privilege of living in a democracy. Make sure that when you sound off, you do so with an informed vote. Learn about the issues facing our country today so you can make intelligent choices during the upcoming elections.
 
Resources
 
CitizenJoe.com (2007). Welcome to Joe. Retrieved July 23, 2007 from the Citizen Joe Web site: http://www.citizenjoe.org/node/12.
 
Five Wells (2007). Getting (and Staying) Informed. Retrieved July 23, 2007 from the Five Wells Web site: http://fivewells.blogspot.com/2006/10/getting-and-
staying-informed.html.