When preparing to register to vote, one of the most important decisions you can make is choosing a political party. Whether you’re new to voting or are used to the process, it’s not always easy to pick one. That’s why it’s important to understand how each of the major political parties aligns with your own beliefs and how those beliefs may impact policy decisions. This guide will provide you with the essential information needed to make an informed decision when selecting a political party when registering to vote.
Explanation of Political Parties
Before we explore the major political parties, it’s important to understand what a political party is and its purpose. A political party is a group of people who share the same beliefs and values, made up of the citizens who support them and make them up. This group works together to shape policy and promote the best interests of its citizens. In the United States, there are two major political parties: the Democratic Party and the Republican Party – more commonly referred to as the GOP.
Democratic Party
The Democratic Party is one of the two major parties in the United States. This party’s goal is to promote social and economic justice by supporting progressive change, such as expanding equal rights and healthcare access, and closing economic gaps between low- and high-income citizens. The Democratic Party is typically associated with liberal ideologies, and its members believe in a more activist role for the government in citizens’ lives.
Examples of Key Democratic Issues:
• The economy – supporting progressive economic policies, such as a minimum wage increase and expanding access to quality healthcare
• Health care – favoring a universal “Medicare-for-all” approach
• Reproductive rights – supporting women’s right to choose
• Immigration – advocating for comprehensive immigration reform, including pathways to citizenship
• Climate change – promoting renewable energy investments, emissions reduction policies and other measures to combat climate change.
Republican Party
The GOP, or the Republican Party, is the other major party in the United States. This party is more right-leaning and generally believes in a more limited role for government and in the free market system. Many of the GOP’s policies and beliefs are focused on the development and maintenance of economic wealth. Republicans also often take a tougher stance on immigration and social issues than the Democratic Party.
Examples of Key Republican Issues:
• Economy – supporting generally lower taxes on businesses and individuals, reducing federal regulations on businesses that decrease economic growth, and encouraging free market competition
• Health care – advocating for more market-based solutions to decrease healthcare costs and increasing access to health care plans
• Immigration – favoring enhanced security along the US-Mexico border, opposing a pathway to citizenship for undocumented immigrants, and enforcing rigorous immigration policies
• Reproductive rights – opposing federal funding for Planned Parenthood, favoring more restrictive abortion laws
• Climate change – supporting policies that favor the development of traditional energy sources, such as coal and oil.
Know Your Values
When picking a political party, it’s essential to understand your own beliefs and values. Writing down and understanding your beliefs will help you in the decision-making process. Consider the issues you are particularly passionate about, such as health care, immigration, or the environment. Then, think about which political party aligns the closest with those values. Once you’ve taken the time to understand what you believe in, the selection of a political party should become much easier.
Do Your Research
It’s also important to do your research and understand the differences between the parties. This can include reading about a party’s values and policies on various issues, such as the economy, health care, or even social issues. You should also look into the party’s history, such as which presidents came from the party, what landmark moments were achieved under those presidents, and major laws or amendments put in place by that president’s party. Additionally, you can learn about the politicians and public figures who are part of each party, as well as their positions on various topics. Understanding the positions of each party on the issues that are personally important to you can help you in making your final decision.
Be Informed Before Making Your Decision
Once you’ve done the research and understand the positions of the political parties, it’s time to decide. It’s important to remember that you don’t need to fit perfectly into the ideology of any one party. Instead, it’s okay to identify as a Republican or Democrat, but with more progressive or conservative stances than what may traditionally be associated with the party. This could then lead to you registering as an independent or with a third party.
Choosing a political party is an important decision when registering to vote. By understanding the beliefs and values of each major political party, as well as researching each party’s positions on the issues you care about, you can make a more informed decision when registering. With the right knowledge, it’s possible to make a choice that best aligns with your own personal beliefs.
