Your young and informed voter checklist

(Photo: AZ Central)

Excited and eager to cast their ballots, young people are preparing for the 2020 presidential election in a way unlike any generation before. Many Gen Zers and Millennials use social media to express their political views, as well as a one-stop shop for political news and information. On sites like Twitter, Instagram and TikTok, young people frequently post trendy infographics that emphasize the importance of being an informed voter. Do you see a problem here?

As easy as it is to post a story encouraging others to be an informed voter, it doesn’t do any good unless you have done your own research. Reading the headline of a trending Facebook article or seeing a random statistic on an Instagram story does not equate to being an informed voter! So what does being an informed voter look like? Here is your informed voter checklist.

1. Make sure you’re registered. It might seem obvious, but registering to vote is the first step to being an informed voter and taking control of your political power. Click here to register, or visit this link to check your voter status.
2. Research your state’s voting guidelines. Voting guidelines vary by state. Some states allow mail-in voting for every voter, while others require in-person voting on election day. Make sure you are up to date with your state’s rules and regulations. You can see your state’s voting requirements here.
3. Identify key issues that are important to you. There are thousands of political issues and it is easy to be overwhelmed when faced with all of them at once, even for an experienced voter. Identifying the issues that are most important to you will help you feel more grounded in the political scene and make it easier to navigate your political preferences. Check out the 16 Key Issues on the VotingSmarter app and visit this link for more political issues.
4. Find your #PoliticalMatch with the #CandidateMatchmaker. Now that you know what issues are most important to you, it is time to see which candidates have similar views to yours. Using the #CandidateMatchmaker on the VotingSmarter app, you can find your #PoliticalMatch in just minutes. Take the quiz and see which candidates you’re most compatible with. Download the IOS app here.
5. Do additional research. Don’t be afraid to seek out more information about candidates from multiple sources! A great place to start are candidate’s campaign websites. Check out Joe Biden’s campaign website here, and Donald Trump’s campaign website here.
6. Show up on Election day. The time has finally come. Send in your ballot and pat yourself on the back, you just made an informed vote!

Contributed by: Sydney Kerl (Marketing Intern, VotingSmarter)