Voter Education: Vote Informed!

Civic engagement is the commitment of individuals, organizations, and communities to address social and political issues facing society. It is related to civic participation, but that term refers to a range of activities; as such, civic participation may be considered the manifestation of civic engagement. Civic engagement, a hallmark of democratic governance, ranges from involvement in political activities such as voting, to community involvement in neighborhood activities and the nonprofit sector, to membership in civic associations or clubs.

Ward, K. D. (2016). "Civic Engagement". In S. Schechter, T. S. Vontz, T. A. Birkland, M. A. Graber, & J. J. Patrick (Eds.). American Governance. vol 1. Farmington Hills, MI: Macmillan Reference USA. pp. 260-264. Gale Virtual Reference Library.

There are many ways that you can work for change, both as a student and as a political citizen. Just by reading through this research guide, you are already making a difference in becoming an informed voter!

The following is a list of things that you can do to help make a difference, no matter your political alignment. 

1. VOTE! - The easiest thing you can do to make a difference is get out to the polls and vote! The upcoming Midterm elections gives you the chance to vote for local representatives that make the most impact on your day-to-day life, so it's important to have a say in who is making the decisions that most affect you. Use the resources listed on this guide to help you become an informed voter and also to find out where to go on Election Day to cast your ballot.
2. Sign Petitions - When you see petitioners gathering signatures, stop and inquire. If you agree with the petition, add your name to the list. If you really agree with the petition, volunteer to distribute petitions to gather more signatures. Be sure you follow all the rules for signing: stay within the lines, sign then print your name, address, zip, city, date.
3. Contact Your Legislator(s) - Call or email them to express your position(s). It is okay to call every day and it is okay to call more than once about an issue. Be polite but do emphasize how important the issue is to you. Find your Arizona reps in the U.S. Congress and Arizona reps in the AZ Legislature.
4. Make Your Voice Heard - There are many ways to make your views heard. You can sign petitions, call/email your legislators, write letters to the editor of your local newspaper, and sign up for Request to Speak (sign up instructions found here) which affords you the opportunity to voice your position on a bill that is pending before the Arizona Legislature. It is important that your representatives hear from you, and that they know where you stand on key issues. Make sure that they know that their vote on the issue will influence your future vote(s) for/against their candidacy.
5. Support Your Candidates - Sign a candidate nominating petition and/or contribute a $5 qualification contribution to a candidate’s clean election run for office using this tool.
6. Attend Monthly Meetings For Your Legislative District (LD): Each LD has monthly meetings to strategize, plan future events, offer training sessions, and share updates. Attend a meeting and meet other voters who are working for change. Find your Legislative District and enter your home address. You can also search for Democratic Party meetings and Republican Party meetings.
7. Volunteer - There are many volunteer opportunities that you can find online that provide ways to get active in your community. VolunteerMatch offers individuals volunteer opportunities for different causes with thousands of organizations across the country. You can also volunteer on Election Day by becoming a poll worker or poll observer. 
8. Find an Organization - Students can get involved by joining an organization or club on campus that aligns with their political ideals. Mesa Community College has a list of clubs and organizations on their website that are free for students to join! Information on meeting times/days, contact information, and descriptions about what each club does is provided.

9. Become a PC (Precinct Committee Person) - A PC person registers voters, talks to other voters in his/her precinct to strategize and answer questions, and organizes/mobilizes both party members to ensure they commit to voting (in both midterms and general elections), as well as campaigns for party candidates in his/her Legislative District and Precinct. Note: you will only contact voters in your party. Find out more information on becoming a PC Person in Maricopa County.

10. Run for local office openings (City Council, School Board, etc.) - Mayor and city council information is offered through the City of Phoenix. Maricopa County candidate packet requests and information on running for office in Maricopa can be found here. 
11. Run for office (State or Federal) –   Find all the information you need to run for a state or federal office by visiting the Arizona Secretary of State website.

Take the Pledge!

The non-profit organization Teaching Tolerance has created a printable pledge to encourage students of all ages to get involved and become enthusiastic advocates for voting. Please print and share this pledge with your students as a way to promote civic responsibility! Visit their website for more resources including an online quiz about voting in America.