Engaging in Government and the Political Process

In my past two posts, I wrote about getting to know your community. A large part of your community is your local government, and with the United State primary election just days away, I wanted to write my first post about being an engaged citizen. Do you attend City Council or Town Council meetings? Do you watch C-SPAN? Do you vote? The definition of an engaged citizen is different for each individual, and that definition will change throughout your lifetime. But everyone can learn something more about their government, and everyone should try to become more civically engaged as you get older.

For those who are unfamiliar with U.S. politics, the U.S. political system is composed of two predominant political parties: the Democratic Party and the Republican Party. The two parties usually have several candidates who run for each elected position, and the primary election puts the candidates of each party in competition with one another for the elected position they wish to pursue. The outcome of the primary election is the general election, where one Democratic candidate and one Republican candidate compete for a specific elected position.

While voting is a great way to engage in the political system, voting is one of several ways you can get involved. Prior to Election Day, you should do extensive research about the candidates and about their positions. In addition to Mayors, State legislators and Presidents, elected positions can include local school board members, judges, and city and county positions. And after these individuals enter elected office, stay informed about the issues facing your community, and stay in touch with the people now holding elected office. 

While you may not be able to directly speak with your member of Congress, with your Senator or with the President, you can contact your mayor, your school board member or your city or town councilperson.Several local governments are now on Facebook and Twitter, and your local elected officials usually want to meet with the community regularly. If you attend a school board, a city council, a town council or a county council meeting, most, if not all, offer a period during the meeting where citizens can speak to their elected officials about any topic that interests them. And most times, the elected officials will respond to your comments or criticisms.

I want to close this blog with a quote from Newark Mayor Cory Booker. The day prior to Election Day one day, Cory Booker took to Twitter and sent the following message to his over 1 million followers: “Tomorrow is election day. If you don’t vote, don’t complain.” Future posts will focus on greater engagement with government, but it all starts with a vote on Election Day. 

Thank you,

Alan