If you’re like me, you probably have passionate opinions on this presidential election, as well as the current state of affairs worldwide. But in the whirlwind of life, it’s often hard to imagine dedicating time to these issues, much less actually making an impact. But the truth is there are simple, time-efficient ways you can make your voice heard—even if you only take action on a local level (who knows when your local state representative could make a run for the White House!).

1. Register to vote. Go to the WE Vote ’08 voter registration page to link to your state’s division of elections. If you’re already registered, send an e-mail to your friends no later than September 1, 2008, to remind them to register. They must register at least 60 days prior to the election. And if you’ve moved to a new county you must re-register!
2. E-mail the presidential candidates. Help shape the future president’s policies by dropping our candidates an e-mail: John McCain, Hillary Clinton, and Barack Obama. To write your congressional representative, head to Project Vote Smart and type in your zip code for links to the officials in your area.
3. Sign up for and take a political poll. Ever wonder who takes those surveys quoted on the nightly news? While most folks are contacted randomly using a computer, on Zogby.com you can sign up to receive political surveys by e-mail. Zogby polls are quoted in most major news outlets, like Reuters.
4. Start a blog. Get your cyber soapbox started at blogger.com and you’ll be able to share your opinions and engage in some healthy debate with your readers.
5. Wear your opinions on your sleeve. Make a fashion and political statement by sporting a tee shirt from demockratees.com. With shirts emblazoned with sayings like “I love free speech” and “Remove the glass ceiling,” everyone will know where you stand. For candidate-specific clothing, click on the “Store” buttons at the Obama, McCain, and Clinton Websites.
6. Shop responsibly. Gap’s (Product) Red™ line is both stylish and beneficial—half the profits from your purchase go to support the Global Fund’s fight against HIV/AIDS in Africa. To buy products that are considered fair trade—which, among other things, means they were created by local workers in developing countries—check out the Fair Trade Federation’s Website.
7. Sign petitions. At the Care2 petition site you can create your own petition or search for and sign petitions on the issues close to your heart.
8. Find and join a nonprofit organization. Connect with folks who share your political or social ideology by joining an organization today. At idealist.org you can search by keywords like “global warming” to find a group that interests you.
9. Write a letter to the editor. If a recent news item has you fired up, take 10 minutes and write to the publication. Make sure you respond in a timely manner; refer to the article in question by page number and content; keep it short; and include all of your contact information.
10. Don’t be afraid to share your views. If an opportunity presents itself, go ahead and speak your mind, whether you’re attending a local politician’s event, chatting with friends or, as happened to me recently, at the dentist’s office. If you share your views in a nonconfrontational manner, you may spark a lively debate and could even spurn others on to be more politically active.