This is, in all likelihood, about to be your first time voting in a presidential primary election. You probably began your journey to the voting box in a detached mode. You tried to appear to be cool and cynical about the whole thing. You started spouting phrases like "stilted process" and "artificial governance." But no matter how hard you've tried to ignore it, that scab of democracy still itches from all these years spent reciting the pledge of allegiance. You begin to realize that the principles of participatory republicanism are engraved in your brain and that your number is up. The year is 2008 and it is your chance to play a chorus role in the political pageant.
It just so happens that your turn on the Ferris wheel is also the most important Texas primary in 20 years. All of a sudden, you and your single vote are more valuable to the candidates than the Ring to Sauron. In all the excitement and fear of the build-up, you have grown anxious. You sweat profusely at the mention of politics. You start having fever dreams involving animated ballots named Hanging Chad. You break out in hives when approached by perky campaign volunteers. But have no fear, The Daily Texan is here. We have some suggestions on how to make this process both more digestible for you and beneficial to the whole.
Vote early. Get it over with. If you have already, my cap's off to you. If you haven't, leap - don't walk - to the polls. Do it during that break between classes. Do it before going to Sixth Street. Do it instead of that fourth hour of "Halo 3." Make a social event out of it and have a party in which admission requires an "I voted" sticker. Voting early allows you to avoid those epic lines on Election Day and gives you something to brag about for at least a week.
Vote often. By that we mean that voting in the primary does not absolve you of your duty in the November general election and vice versa. We also advise you to vote in those mid-term elections - they're kind of a big deal.
Vote on the whole ticket and not just the presidential race. There are a multitude of offices up for grabs this year, including railroad commissioner, Travis Country district attorney and that judge you have to see about that DWI. If you don't know anything about the other races, that's fine, because there exists a treasure of a group called the League of Women's Voters, which issues a voter's guide that tells you the basics about each race and candidate. Take some time and read all the way through it before pulling the lever.
Don't vote with cotton in your ears. Don't pay attention to polls. Eschew terms such as "inevitability," "presumed nominee" and "campaign momentum." Most importantly, don't listen to the dissonance coming from your television, your car radio or (we hate to say it) your daily paper. Those are all good and fine for updates and general knowledge concerning the progress of the race, but you cannot - we repeat, cannot - become a truly informed voter without sitting down and reading about a candidate's stance on the issues in voter guides, policy books or candidate platforms. The media's attention span is worse than a 4-year-old's. TV news coverage of political campaigns consists mainly of documenting spats, gaffes and out-of-context sound bites. The mainstream media's commitment to journalistic impartiality waxes and wanes like the morning wheat. In short - do your own research.
Don't trust your gut. It may have served you well in the past, but your gut instinct simply will not do for this election. We know we may be flogging a dead horse, but you need to know the facts. Don't vote for someone because you have a feeling about them. Don't vote for someone just because you hate the other person. Don't vote according to your emotions, as politicians know how to pluck those strings better than Jimi Hendrix. That is not to say you can't be inspired by a candidate or be upset about an issue you believe has been overlooked, but do not let that be your sole criterion in making your choice. Voting must be a rational decision based on facts and empirical evidence.
Relax and enjoy the play. Things tend to get heated every four years. People turn mother against daughter, friend against friend, frat brother against frat brother. Politics has a unique way of bringing out the most indignant facets of people. Just remember that at the end of the news cycle, we're all still Longhorns.
And remember to keep it all in perspective. For all its hype, the primary election is just one step in a long march. Your vote may decide the contest, or it may end up being drowned in the din of other voices. But perhaps some 50 years hence your grandchild will ask you which way you voted, and not only will you have an answer, but you will also know that you stood in a booth and, with your vote, affected the train of history.
