The reality of U.S. politics, whether a good reality or not, is the two-party system. The two-party system, which has no option for change, gives voters two choices. For the 2024 election, those choices are Vice President Kamala Harris and former President Donald Trump.
It’s justified to assume most individuals at this point in the election season know who they are going to vote for. For months, there has been a flood of information from both candidates on every platform. That information has served as a useful tool when deciding who to vote for.
Although the information is useful, it can also be widely misleading. From out-of-context clips to conspiracy theories, sifting through the sea of information on each candidate feels impossible. It is easy to be swayed by misinformation, and often debunking the information is not.
Voting is a right that everyone should take advantage of and take seriously. Voting is a responsibility and a big aspect of that responsibility is being fully informed. The first step in picking a candidate is being fully aware of their plans and policies. An easy way to do that is by visiting each candidate's website.
On each candidate's website, there should be a comprehensive list of policies and plans for his or her presidency. Although this is a great place to start, it is important to not take it at face value.
The next step is fact-checking and paying attention to news coverage of the candidate. Oftentimes, the best information voters can get on candidates is through their interviews, speeches and interactions. Through this, it’s easy to get a feel of each candidate and note any consistencies or inconsistencies in his or her campaign.
It’s important to remember that no candidate will ever perfectly align with an individual's values or needs. More often than not, voters are forced to pick the “lesser of two evils." This is not ideal, but it is how the system currently works. Most people end up picking the candidate that more closely aligns with their views, even if it is not a perfect match.
The next president is not the only candidate on the ballot this year, there will be a variety of other individuals and issues to vote for. People can request a sample ballot, on this sample ballot is every available candidate to vote for and his or her positions.
Voting can be nerve-wracking, especially if it's someone’s first time voting in a presidential election. Putting off the process and trying to delay thinking about the election can do more harm than good; this is not something to put off researching until the night before. Take the necessary steps now and cast an informed vote.
Haylee Leasure is a junior studying journalism. Please note that the opinions expressed in this column do not reflect those of The Post. Want to talk about the column? Email Haylee at hl125421@ohio.edu.
