So You're a Texan for Hillary...

First and foremost, I want to thank you for your interest in politics. Believe it or not, it's a rare thing right now in our nation for people not only to care enough to vote, but to also research candidates and make an informed decision. With your help and a decent strategy, I believe we can turn the political tides in favor of a strong middle-class.

For those of you who have yet to determine which presidential candidate would best represent you, here is a link to a detailed questionnaire on ISideWith.com. Many of the questions have links for further information.

If after you take the quiz you find that Bernie Sanders is your best option, click here.

Alright. Now that you've decided on Hillary, let's go over five things you can do to help her win.

#1: Register to vote.

If you are a United States citizen, will be at least 18 years old as of March 1st, 2016, and are not a convicted felon, you should register to vote! Here is a link to the Texas Secretary of State website, where you can fill our a voter registration application online, print it and mail it to the voter registrar in your county.

You must be registered at least 30 days before the primary (1/31/16) in order to vote. That said, I wouldn't recommend waiting until the end of January to register because sometimes there are errors that have to be fixed before approval.

#2: Update your registration.

"If you moved from one place to another in the same county, you'll need to notify the Voter Registrar in your county." Here is a link to do it online.

"If you moved to another county, YOU MUST RE-REGISTER!" Go back to step #1 and click on the link to get it done.

If you changed your name, you can update your registration here.



#3: Sign up to join Hillary's campaign.

You will receive regular emails from the campaign of Hillary Clinton, notifying you of events, campaign fundraisers, and volunteer opportunities. If you are ambitious, you could set up house parties to help spread the word. It's really as simple as setting a time and place and letting people know about it. The location doesn't have to be your house. It can be a local restaurant, bar, public library, etc.

#4: Spread the word in a polite manner.

The key to substantive political conversations is avoiding over-generalizations, name calling, and slander. Many friends have been lost over politics, which is the exact opposite of what we need. Remember, once the primary is over we still need everyone to vote in the general election, and that is less likely if people feel personally slighted.
At times you may come across people who will be angry with your decision to vote for Hillary. When this happens, simply remind them that the primary exists to allow the public the opportunity to debate what traits they desire in their candidates. While it's not always the most civil of discussions, it is an integral part of the democratic process, and you have a right to your own opinion.


#5: Connect with your local party.

This part is crucial. Regardless who wins the primary, no president will accomplish the majority of their goals without a cooperative Congress. On top of that, the vast majority of laws are created in your state's legislature. While the media is focused on the presidential candidates, little attention is given to our local and state candidates. In Texas, this has helped the far right take over the Republican Party and the capitol in Austin. The resulting hyper-partisan state government has decreased funding for public schools, roads, and emergency services.

You see, we have to do more than just vote on a president every four years. We have to build a base large enough to elect effective representatives at every level of government. We have to be seen and heard in our communities throughout every year, not just during the presidential election season. That could mean volunteering for local charities, contributing letters to the editors of local papers, or even participating in civil protests.

For an easy way you can help improve the Democratic Party's image in Texas, click here.

Conclusion

Regardless your level of involvement, every person has an influence on our government. As we have seen in the last few elections, even those who abstain from voting have an effect. Working together, we can take control of our party, our cities, our state, and our nation. We all have much more in common than we have been led to believe, even if we don't always agree on candidates. Try to have fun and stay friendly with those who you talk with regarding politics.

After all, what's the point of life if you can't have a little fun?

Your Friend,
Michael Messer
Friendly Neighborhood Democrats

Complete information on Voter Registration and I.D. Requirements