List: Politics for Dummies Cheat Sheet
- Are you comfortable with the groups and the individuals who support the candidate?
- Ask questions of candidates and elected officials.
- Be patient; other voters may be calling to express their views, too.
- Be prepared to give your name and address.
- Because you’ve only one vote to cast, your candidate choice is crucial. How do you know what to look for in a political candidate? Do a little research to help you get to know something about each candidate and use these useful tips:
- Become a delegate to a national convention
- Can you trust the candidate?
- Candidates who identify problems — but don’t propose realistic solutions
- Candidates who make appeals to your emotions — not to your intelligence
- Candidates who offer simple, no-sacrifice solutions to complex problems
- Candidates who talk exclusively about hot-button issues such as race, immigration, the flag, English as the official language, and class warfare, but not about such issues as taxes, health care, and the budget
- Candidates who tell you what they think you want to hear
- Candidates who use negative campaign tactics to give you a false impression of the competition
- Candidates with shady dealings in their backgrounds
- Circulate petitions and join with others who think as you do.
- Contribute money or help the candidate raise money.
- Do you agree with the programs and ideas the candidate has proposed?
- Does he pass the elevator test? (If an elevator door opened in front of you and getting on meant you would ride alone with the candidate, would you get on?)
- Does she have ideas of her own?
- Does she have the education and experience to handle the job?
- Does the candidate appear intelligent, or is he just filling out the suit?
- Don’t hesitate to tell officials when they’ve done something you don’t like.
- If you are calling about a particular piece of legislation, give the number of the bill, if possible.
- Is the candidate a leader?
- Is the candidate qualified for the job?
- Join a political party.
- Local office of the League of Women Voters
- Public library
- Read and listen to the information about the candidates — cast an informed vote.
- Register to vote.
- Remember to vote for your candidate on election day.
- State election board
- State or county headquarters of the Republican or Democratic party\n\nAsk the person to give you the following information (make sure you have your address book with you):
- Tell the individual whether you are for or against the legislation and why.
- Tell the person precisely why you are calling.
- Thank officials when they do something you do like.
- Use your phone, the mail, your fax, your computer e-mail — let your representatives hear from you often.
- Volunteer your time — contact voters, organize events, distribute literature.
- Vote in every election.
- Vote in primaries.
- Your congressional district, congressperson, and the office phone number
- Your legislative district, state legislator, and the main number at the statehouse
- Your state senate district, state senator, and a phone number at the statehouse
- County board of elections or voter registration
