If ever there were a time to contemplate the meaning of democracy, and the relationship between the public will and the actions of the government, this is it. We are living through an historic time. One can only hope that the traumas of the past few years, and the challenges that still lie ahead, will serve to motivate people toward more involvement in the process. Now, more than ever, every citizen's vote does matter -- especially if voters have looked at the issues and given some thought to their choices.
If you are an American citizen of voting age, you get a chance twice every year to make a difference in the way your community, and your nation, are run. So, if you missed your chance last time, make sure you register and vote next time. Check the sites below for registration assistance if you need it. Meanwhile, the other links can help you stay informed on the issues you'll be voting on.
The Election Connection , sponsored by The Altantic Monthly, strives to be "an issues resource of unequalled depth." It provides articles and essays from various perspectives, as well as links to the political parties and related websites. If you want a somewhat greater range of viewpoints, with a lot more surfing required, check out the Political Site of the Day.
Specific interest groups may wish to find coverage of the issues they care most about. One example is the ABCs of Women's Issues Voters Guide. To search for information about any special interest group and the issues it cares about, check out the handy lookup feature at Project Vote Smart.
Welcome change: you can now arm yourself with election finance information online. The Federal Election Commission provides Information About Candidates, Parties and Other Committees. Here in Pennsylvania, the Department of State now provides a Campaign Finance Web Site where you can see summaries of candidates' campaign spending, or download raw data for your own analysis.
Every state has its own registration process and forms, and its own method of making them available to citizens who are eligible to vote. If you have not figured out how to do it in the state where you live, you're in luck.
If you have Adobe Acrobat, you can use it to print a copy of the "Universal Voter Registration Form" right here, with instructions for all states -- including deadlines and more. Even if you have passed your state's registration deadline for the next election, take this opportunity to get ready for all future elections by registering now. Don't be left out!
Note: the form below is not a web page. It's a fully-formatted document that you can read and print within your web browser, or download and save to print later. But either way, you will need the Acrobat Reader to view it at all. If don't have the reader, you can use the link below to download it for free. Also please note: because it covers all the states, this file is rather large -- 792KB. If you are using a dialup modem, it might take a few minutes. For those with a high-speed connection, it should not be a problem.
The most certain way to ensure you are registered is to go in person to whatever government offices handle voter registration in your state. The League of Women Voters offers help with voter registration and lots of other information.
Once you are registered, don't forget to vote! The web offers resources for that stage, too. You can also find how to Help Ensure a Fair and Clean Election. Then after the election, you can track how your elected representatives are voting at Voterpunch.org.