Ten Ways to Get Involved in Elections
What do civil engineers have in common with elected officials? The answer is simple: Both have a profound effect on the quality of peoples' lives.
Lawmakers' duties are to make policies that best serve their constituents, like the way civil engineers complete projects to best serve their clients. How absurd would it be for a civil engineer to carry out a project without knowing whether to design a bridge or a tunnel, where to build it, or how much it could cost? Likewise, elected officials can't perform their jobs properly without input and knowledge from the people they work for — their constituents.
Consequently, civil engineers have a unique opportunity to help lawmakers. Most elected officials aren't civil engineers, and therefore don't know how a sewage treatment plant is run, how the Grand Coulee Dam was designed, or how a river is dredged. But civil engineers know how and why these things need to be done. By providing technical information and advice to policy makers, civil engineers can assist lawmakers in making informed decisions about the quality of peoples' lives.
How does a civil engineer become more acquainted with policy makers? One of the best ways is to participate in elections. And it doesn't only mean voting on a presidential level. Local elections often provide the easiest way of becoming personally familiar with present and future policy makers.
Important note: ASCE, including all its affiliates (including Sections and Branches), is a 501(c)(3) organization and as such is prohibited from endorsing or supporting candidates for election. Please keep this in mind when becoming involved in election-related activities. For example, when writing to your local newspaper or contributing money or volunteer services to a candidate for public office at any level, you must do so as an individual citizen and NOT as a representative of ASCE. Visit ASCE and Elections for more information on this topic.
Here are ten ways to get involved in elections:
1. Register to vote. Voting is the most important part of the election process. On Election Day, policy makers find out if their constituents believe they're doing a satisfactory job, or not. You can obtain information on voter registration from your local Registrar of Voters or Board of Elections office, usually listed in the blue pages of the phone book or you can register in most states when you renew your driver's license. Visit http://www.engineeringthevote.org for information on registering to vote.
2. Vote in your state's primary. Presidential and Congressional Primary dates can be found on the web at http://www.engineeringthevote.org Many states require early registration for their primaries so be sure you're registered in advance.
3. Vote on Election Day. Let your choice be recorded — make sure to vote on Election Day. If you're not going to be in town to vote in person that day, apply for and send in an absentee ballot.
4. Watch or attend candidate debates. It's a fast way to become familiar with the issues and to see how the candidates stack up. If you can't catch them live, check your local cable channels, or C-SPAN for broadcasting of Presidential debates.
5. Visit with candidates at Candidate Forums. Campaigns and community groups often hold "Meet the Candidate" events. Forums provide you with an opportunity to learn more about the candidates, meet them personally, ask questions, or offer your views on important issues. Check candidates' websites or your local newspaper for upcoming events in your area.
6. Invite candidates to your workplace/jobsite. Give them a tour of the bridge you just built, the dam you designed, or the facility where you research pavement stability. Not only will candidates become more familiar with you, but they'll get to know more about the civil engineering profession.
7. Gather information on the candidates so you know who your favorites are. If you ask, candidates will often provide you with information about themselves and their viewpoints on the issues. You can also obtain information on state and national candidates from Vote Smart, a voter education project. Visit their website at http://www.vote-smart.org/ or call 1-888-Vote-Smart. Most candidates also have their own websites.
8. Write to your newspaper about who you feel the best candidate is and why. Once you know who your favorite candidates are, educate others. Publicize your concerns as a civil engineer or interested constituent (Please see important note above). Other voters may not understand the importance of a candidate's views on infrastructure projects. However, civil engineers can bridge that knowledge gap by explaining the pros and cons of various projects that may be under consideration, or the importance of facility maintenance and upgrades.
9. Give money to your favorite candidate(s). If you don't have the time to volunteer on a candidate's campaign, you can donate to the candidate's campaign fund. In giving to your preferred candidate's campaign, you may help that candidate to get elected. Please be aware that certain state and federal laws regulate campaign contributions. For example, ASCE, as a non-profit organization, is prohibited from both contributing to campaigns and endorsing candidates for public office. You can find guidelines on federal election contributions at http://www.fec.gov/citizen-guide.html
10. Volunteer on a candidate's campaign. The most valuable thing you can give to a candidate is your time. You can volunteer to help for an hour, a week, or a year — the amount of commitment is up to you. Again, contributions of time or money must be made by individuals and not representatives of ASCE. Please see important note above.
For more information, contact ASCE's Government Relations staff at govwash@asce.org.
More resources on voting and elections:
