Election season is here! Primary voting opened on April 13 for state and county positions, including commissioners, county mayor and judges. If you are registered to vote, there are several locations to do so, including here on the ETSU campus in the Culp!
How should you determine the quality of a candidate? Here are a few things to consider:
Look at their past voting record. If they have held an office in the past, look at their performance. Did they pass bills you agree with? Do they have shady connections with large businesses and unions? Did they fulfill campaign promises?
Watch their speeches and press releases. Unfortunately many politicians don’t follow through on their campaign promises, but knowing what platform they run on could be helpful.
Ask people who know. Find people you trust and agree with who have been involved in the community and ask about the reputation of the candidate. Often the information presented to the public is a talking point for one side or the other and only a part of the story.
If you want to get involved in your local elections, talk to county officials who agree with your views. County officials are often glad to talk to young people and help them get engaged. Getting to know the staff is also an excellent way to get involved, as they are usually as knowledgable as the officials but don’t get the same attention.
You can also work the polls during election season. Phone numbers and links to those positions can be found on state and county websites. If you don’t want to campaign for a specific individual, working the polls in an excellent way to learn the ropes.
Understanding the positions and candidates on the city, county, state and federal levels can be confusing, but after a few minutes on Google you will be able to understand the various offices and be able to make an informed decision.
See you at the polls!
