The United States is one of the few countries that insure its citizens certain inalienable rights. Good citizens should take advantage of these rights, especially the rights to vote. Many US citizens do not exercise their right to vote at any level of government. They give up their right to input on important issues because they do not take the time to investigate the issues or go to the polls to cast a ballot for a candidate that may have similar values. Some think that one vote does not make a difference so why should they bother. Often elections are decided by a very small percentage of those eligible and registered to vote. Voting is an important act of citizenship and should be expressed by every citizen.
Although there are many different levels of government, citizens do not exercise their right to vote at any level. Many Americans may not agree with any presidential candidates view and decided not to vote. What about local or state officials? Local and state officials affect each citizen directly. As a good citizen, it is your job to know your local and state officials. Those are the people who decide everything from county taxes to state laws. It is important for a good citizen to vote for local and state officials who represent the needs of themselves and their community. Another important thing is running office as a citizen. Many local offices require minimum experience and a chance to get your ideas and views into action.
Many issues brought up with elections are important for a good citizen to investigate. Politicians do not always focus on the whole subject, so citizens need to find the truth for themselves. There is numerous ways to find information using your rights. Some ways to investigate issues is going to the library, reading newspapers, and surfing the Internet. A good citizen would know how to exercise these resources to find the true information about an important issue.