October 19, 2018 10:14 AM UTC

4 Ways To Get More Involved in Politics Now

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• by: Phoner

It is more important than ever to get out there, get involved, and be heard in politics. The problem is that many people just don’t know where to start. Registering to vote and heading to the polls is straightforward, but it can be difficult to determine how to begin the process of being more politically active. Check out these tips to help you get started.

1. Sign Up for Email Updates

The quickest and easiest way to get more involved with politics is to get email updates. Busy lifestyles make it hard for people to come up with the time to research issues on their own, but email updates make it easy to keep up with local, state, and federal politicians. To get as much information as possible, avoid only signing up for an email from your preferred candidates. Receive information from both sides and from every candidate. This gives you a clearer picture of the issues and what to expect from all the candidates. Most incumbent and recently-elected candidates offer email updates, which you can usually sign up for on their respective websites.

2. Contact Your Local Officials

Your politicians are meant to work for you, which means you need to make your voice heard. If you don’t agree with something your elected officials are doing, or if you think there is something they should be working on but aren’t, tell them. Email them. Write them letters. Call them. Do it repeatedly. Do it as often as you need to feel heard. Ask your friends and family members if they are doing the same thing. If you aren’t sure who your local officials are, you can check out your city’s website or go to Common Cause and input your address to find out who you should be contacting. You’ll also be able to learn what type of contributions the officials are receiving, and which bills they are sponsoring.

3. Attend Local Meetings and Events

You hear a lot about presidential candidates traveling the country to campaign, and those campaign rallies are excellent for learning more. However, it is also important to learn about what’s going on close to home, especially outside of election times. Typically, you can attend several types of meetings: city council meetings, school board meetings, and town hall meetings. The difference is in how you interact (if you do).

When you attend a city council meeting, you can observe your city’s legislators as they converse and make decisions. Depending on where you live, you may be able to speak at this meeting, but will typically need to have official permission prior to the meeting date and time. School board meetings work in much the same way but focus only on your local school district and how it operates. Finally, you can attend a town hall meeting. These meetings include both politicians and citizens and give you more of a chance to be heard. Your local government’s website usually includes these meetings on the calendar.

4. Run for Office

If you truly want to get more involved in politics, you could try your hand at working alongside a local organization. Many people mistakenly think they must have a political science degree or have the experience to become an elected official. You only need to meet the legal requirements put forth by the government and get people to join your cause. No elected job is too small, either. Why not start at your local school board or as another local representative?

It doesn’t matter whether you consider yourself a Republican, Democrat, or somewhere in-between. No matter what your feelings are, politics are important and making your voice heard is essential. Whether you have a few minutes a week or a few hours per day, there is always something you can do to be more informed and involved.