Some advice for new voters.

In case you hadn’t heard, there are elections this year in the States. Many Americans are turning 18 in 2018 and many of them are looking forward to registering to vote and casting their first ballots. Here’s some advice for these new voters:

Image courtesy of Scholastic.

1. Don’t vote because you have to. Vote because you feel confident that you’ve done the research and understand the issues and the candidates’ positions on them. If you don’t feel that you understand the issues or that none of the people on the ballot are someone you comfortable voting for, don’t vote. And for God’s sake don’t feel guilty about it. Despite what pearl-clutching partisans on both sides will tell you, this election is not the most important election of your life! Life will continue regardless of who wins and the only wasted votes are those cast in ignorance or for the person you don’t actually believe in.
2. Start local. Time is short, elections are complicated, and the issues even more so. You’re going to have a lot of research to do. The elections with the most impact on your life are local ones. Your local school board, municipal or county assembly, mayor…