Election time is always fun for the person who can’t get enough of politics. With heated debates and constant mudslinging, sometimes the election drama feels more like a bad reality show than our government authorities duking it out for top positions. If you want to keep up with the latest news in politics and elections on the local and national level, we’re here to help. Check out our stories to learn what the current candidates are saying and what the election polls are starting to reveal. We hope you will enjoy our cutting edge political news and inspiring stories of local politicians making big changes.
You Can Be an Election Day Volunteer
Every time you go to your township hall to vote, you will notice that the place seems to be full of people who are making sure that things run smoothly. These people are in charge of everything from double checking that you are a registered voter, collecting your ballot, and answering any questions that you might have.
There are even people who will pick up and drive you home if you are unable to drive yourself to the polls. These individuals are called Election Day volunteers, without them, the entire democratic process would dissolve in shambles. Anyone can become an Election Day volunteer, but there are some things that you will have to do first.
If you are interested in working in the polling office during the Election Day, you are going to have to contact your county election office. They will help you with the paperwork that you need to fill out and make sure that you have received the proper training. Make sure you contact the county election office way in advance, working in the polls is a coveted task and people sign up really early.
Don’t get offended when you are asked to declare your party preferences. No one is trying to step on your toes, or invade your civil liberties. The reason that you have to declare a party is because Federal law dictates that an equal number of Republicans and Democrats have to be working in the polls at the same time. The hope is that this will keep things fair and prevent any accusations of cheating
One if the great things about being an Election Day volunteer who works in the polls is that you aren’t really sacrificing your time. True, you are giving up a chunk of your day, but unlike other volunteers who are working for the campaign, you will get paid. The amount isn’t much, but it is better than nothing at all.
Brace yourself for a really long day. Most volunteers are there from the time that the polls open in the morning, until they close at night.
Getting Started in Politics
Everyone who has ever become president started out at the bottom and worked their way up. The first thing any president did was learn how to run for office. Although there are some exceptions, most people start by campaigning for a local office, though there are some who run for a position in the state and federal government who don’t first get their feet wet in the local campaigns. A surprising number of politicians get their first experience in campaigns by running for positions on the school board.
It doesn’t matter what office you are running for, if you don’t have support, your campaign will crash and burn. Before you submit your name to the ballet, you need to talk to your family and close friends and learn how they feel about the idea of you entering into politics. In addition to finding out how they feel about the idea, you are also going to want to make it very clear that a huge amount of your time in the upcoming months is going to be devoted to campaigning that you are most likely going to need their help.
Once you have confirmed that you do indeed have the support of those who are closets to you, you are going to want to check out the requirements for being put on the ballot for the office you wish to run for. Most offices require that you have submitted a petition with a predetermined amount of signatures that you must submit before you name will be entered into the political race. Many political offices also have requirements about the minimum age of candidates, and the type of education you must have.
Once you have gotten the petition filled out and have confirmed that you are indeed qualified to run for the office, you need to start putting together a campaign team and make your bid for office official.
What it takes to be President
It is that time again. People are starting to announce their intention to run for the office of President of the United States. This of course means that debates and arguments are breaking out all over the United States about which candidate is the best and which one should win the coveted role. While everyone has an opinion, few people actually take the time to really think about what it takes to be the President.
The one thing that everyone does know is that in order to run for president, a candidate must be born in the United States. The presidency is one of the only political offices that a naturalized citizen cannot run for. Naturalized citizens will have to be content running for the office of state governor.
The age of the candidate is also important; candidates have to be at least thirty-five years old. Today thirty-five doesn’t really seem like it is very old, but when the rules of the office were first being established, the life span of the average American was considerably shorter than it is now.
One thing has changed. In the past, in order to be taken seriously as a candidate, presidential hopefuls really did need to have a strong background in politics. Most of them became politicians when they were very young and gradually worked their way up one office at a time until the only thing they had left was to try for the oval office. This was how the candidates gained the name recognition they needed if they were going to win over the voters. Most of the candidates were actually groomed to become a presidential hopeful from a very young age.
Today, it is actually possible to run for office without having any real political background. So far these relatively unknown people are using the internet to gain the name recognition needed to run for president. So far, these internet sensations have not had a real chance for the office, but they are drawing enough votes to defiantly sway the final outcome.
My Decision to Run For Office
Times and days are changing. Everyday on the television or over the radio, on my computer screen and at my town’s farmer’s market, news and events that break my heart and make me want to change the world. But how can I make a difference? What could I possibly do to help change the city’s landscape or be able to help Alice, a teacher at our elementary school down the road? I will put away my fear of the unknown and go for it. With the support of my family and friends I will run for local office, maybe I will be able to win a spot to sit on city council.
Running for a local office is not going to be easy; in fact, running for any public seat is far beyond my comfort zone. I can stand on my soapbox much easier in the comfort of my living room or in a group of my peers but to extend my concerns to others is freighting. If I don’t allow my heart to be known who will know that the city needs to be cleaned up? That Alice has concerns and that my neighbors down the road are being taken advantage of with big time contractors wanting to dwarf their home place with a million dollar development in their back yard?
I have to run for local office for them, for me and for my family. Sometimes you have to over look the fears and remember the tears of those you know. It doesn’t matter if you only know their face or if your family has known their family way back from great, great, grandpa’s aunt’s and uncles. They have concerns, ones that no longer need to be overlooked by those that are just serving for the politics of popularity but for the true desire to want changes made and silent voices heard.
My First Experience in a Casino
I was on a weekend getaway in Las Vegas with a group of friends, so what did we have to visit? The many rows of hotels containing casinos, including the one where we were staying. I had never been inside of a casino before and imagined it as an old bar with regulars that would come in and take all of the money because they knew what they were doing, while I would sit down and lose it all.
The appearance of the casino in our hotel was thankfully not what I had envisioned. The design was very modern and trendy with bursts of bold, bright colors. The room was inviting even though it may have seemed intimidating to someone that has not been out that much. The machines, bars, and card tables were all lined in a gold color, making me think this must have been used out of money that people had lost in the casino along the way. The bar is fully stocked and full of people that seemed to be having a great time.
I sit down at a computer-generated game because I know that the cards will be too hard and definitely too serious for me at this point in my gambling experience. I put my money in and choose my selection from the computer screen and begin to play. Apparently I have beginners luck, because I inserted a five-dollar bill and my I am up to ten dollars before I know it. I decide to get my money out and move to another machine. I insert two dollars and instantly lose. I decide that I do not like that machine and I move back to the original, inserting my trusty five dollars. I play a series of games, going up and down a bit until I am up $30 and decide to take my money and run.
I collect my other friends and we gab about our casino experience before leaving and finding more things to do in the city to spend our newly won money on. We decide to visit one more casino before leaving that weekend, where I told myself I would only spend a total of $10. In this very nice, expensive-looking casino, I lost my money and thought to myself this is definitely how these places stay in business and stay looking so exquisite! I make a vow to myself that since I have had the casino experience, I probably will not do it again because I do not want to risk losing any more money.
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What People Care About in the 2012 Election
As the 2012 presidential election is quickly approaching, people are focused on a few key issues. They are listening to how each candidate plans to make changes that will impact these important areas of life and that will be the key factor in how they choose whom to vote for. Yesterday’s clearly marked party lines are becoming blurry as the new generation of voters tunes into debates. They are so much worried about Red vs. Blue as they are about the issues that impact them on a daily basis. Here is what people really care about in the 2012 election.
1. Jobs
With unemployment rates staying high, officials argue that they are started to go down. However, further research uncovers that this is simply because many Americans are no longer eligible to draw unemployment benefits and many have given up the search for employment altogether. Americans want politicians who are focused on creating new jobs. They don’t want a numbers game; they want real job opportunities.
2. Debt
Americans are sick and tired of national debt. Even if something turns around in the next four years, our grandchildren will still be paying for the money that President Obama dished out in his stimulus packages. People are ready for the debt to decrease and American economy to increase. They want a President that will be fiscally responsible to lead the United States out of such a financial mess.
These two issues are at the forefront of the most voters’ decisions. If you want to know what Americans care about, look at jobs and debt. These are two areas of government that impact them on a daily basis.
It’s Just Icing on the Cake!
Online bingo friends are a nice additional to my already good life. In some ways, I guess it is just icing on the cake. I have been married for over twenty-five years to a good husband and my 3 children are the light of my life. They keep me busy as do our dogs and all of my beautiful grandchildren who range in age from eight months to five years old. Finances fluctuate to a degree because I am a work from home entrepreneur. There are times when I get so busy I need to get out from under all the work and back in touch with the outside world. I have discovered a way to interact with others while not leaving my home. I made new friends and have a great time. I discovered online bingo!
Online UK bingo sites have been a great way for me to relax and ease the stress of my day. Solitaire was my game to relax and online bingo popped up accidently when I was looking for online games. I enjoyed bingo as a child and was glad to discover online bingo was on a click away and I can play without using my money.
While it is a long way from the games of my childhood and the local town gatherings I soon caught on and discovered it was a great way to relieve my stress. There are other people available in the chat area if I choose to chat. There are some wonderful people playing online Robin Hood bingo and I have made many friends and some are form the other side of the world but there are also some from the USA and we all enjoy online bingo. We come from all walks of life and different in comes but enjoy each other and have certain sites and times when we play. It’s amazing how many people you can find online at any given time. There a group of 10 of us who are also now in touch offline as well and try to play together when we can.
Life will change but my enjoyable online bingo games will continue as will the stress relief I get from it. Some friends come and go as they can but each day brings new ones. Play for the companionship, to have a little fun or even try to win some money. My children enjoy getting online in their homes so we can play now and then while meeting new friends. If you haven’t checked out the new bingo sites 2012 has to offer, you are missing a treat! Check out the many great sites and try playing one of the world’s oldest and best-loved games.
How You Can Help Your Favorite Presidential Candidate
By the time the primary’s role around, most people have a pretty good idea about which presidential candidates they like. After the primaries, when there are only two people left in the contest, the average person knows which candidate they like the best.
Some people are content to simply go to the polls in November and cast their vote, but others can’t help but wonder if maybe there is something more that they can do to help their candidate win the office that they need.
Obviously the most important thing you can do is make sure that you are registered to vote. Keep in mind that if you have moved to a new township since the last election you are going to have to reregister. This is not something that you can do at the last minute. You should make sure that you have registered to vote at least a month before the actual election. Remember, one of the things that recent elections really proved is that every single vote really does count.
Running for office is expensive and candidates rely on donations to fund most of their campaign. If you have a couple of extra bucks to spare, you can donate it. Candidates appreciate anything that you can give, it doesn’t matter how large or small the donation is. They will put it to good use!
You can also set aside some time in your schedule and try to volunteer. Very few of the people who are involved in the political campaign are paid; nearly who works for the campaign is volunteering their time. No campaign is going to turn away a person willing to volunteer. Not only will they welcome you, but they will find something that you can do, just don’t be surprised if the list of tasks you get seem to be menial, just remember that everything that you can do will be appreciated.
Choosing a Campaign Manager
Are you considering running in an upcoming election? If you are only running for a small local office, such as a position on the school board, there is a chance that you won’t have to worry about putting together a political campaign. However if you have your eyes set on something like a seat on the state legislation you are going to want to have a campaign team. This team is going to be headed up by a campaign manager.
The first thing you are looking for in a campaign manager is someone who is incredibly well organized. There is a great deal of work involved to handling a campaign, and it requires juggling a lot of balls at the same time. Anyone who isn’t incredibly organized and who minds putting in really long hours is going to find that they burn out fairly early in the election and will leave you without a campaign manager.
Your campaign manager needs to be someone who you have a great deal of respect for. In addition to making sure that your campaign runs as smoothly as possible, your campaign manager is also someone who is going really micro-manage your life. There are going to be numerous instances when they will literally be telling your where to go, what to say, and how to say it. Mutual respect is needed if tempers aren’t going to boil over.
Your campaign manager needs to charismatic and likeable. They also have to be able to quickly motivate large numbers of people to get things done quickly. You need to keep in mind that most of the people that the campaign manager is going to be counting on are volunteers, and working with people who aren’t getting a paycheck is never easy. A good campaign manager will be able to put everything together so that you can focus on appealing to the voters.