McKee Library

Know your Candidates and Vote

November 3, 2020 is election day in the United States, with early voting beginning in October for many states. Prior to voting, it is important for you to understand the issues and carefully evaluate each candidate's positions. 

How Do I Register to Vote?

You can register to vote at https://vote.gov/. Another great site for determining voter restrictions is https://www.vote.org/. 

Who Should I Vote For? 

Not sure which candidate you would like to vote for? Check out an online quiz such as the ones at I Side With or ProCon.org. It is also a great idea to spend a few moments looking over the website of each candidate.  The key is to take time to educate yourself and know your own stance on key issues. The books recommended below are a great place to start! 

Recommended Reading

Parties and Elections in America by Louis Sandy Maisel; Mark D. Brewer
Call Number: e-book
ISBN: 9781442201033
This book covers all elements of parties and the electoral process, including local, state, and national party organizations; American party history and party systems; state and local nominations; state and local elections; presidential nominations; and presidential elections.

Crippled America: How to Make America Great Again by Donald J. Trump

Call Number: JK275 .T78 2015

ISBN: 9781501137969

Look at the state of the world right now. It's a terrible mess, and that's putting it mildly. There has never been a more dangerous time. The politicians and special interests in Washington, DC, are directly responsible for the mess we are in. So why should we continue listening to them? It's time to bring America back to its rightful owners-the American people. I'm not going to play the same game politicians have been playing for decades-all talk, no action, while special interests and lobbyists dictate our laws. I am shaking up the establishment on both sides of the political aisle because I can't be bought. 

 

Promise Me, Dad by Joe Biden

Call Number: E840.8.B54 A3 2017

ISBN: 9781250171672

A deeply moving memoir about the year that would forever change both a family and a country. In November 2014, thirteen members of the Biden family gathered on Nantucket for Thanksgiving, a tradition they had been celebrating for the past forty years; it was the one constant in what had become a hectic, scrutinized, and overscheduled life. 

 

 

The Truths We Hold by Kamala Harris

Call Number: E901.1.H37 A3 2019

ISBN: 9780525560715

From Kamala Harris, one of America's most inspiring political leaders and Joe Biden's pick for his 2020 running mate, a book about the core truths that unite us, and the long struggle to discern what those truths are and how best to act upon them, in her own life and across the life of our country Senator Kamala Harris's commitment to speaking truth is informed by her upbringing.  

Give Us the Ballot by Ari Berman

Call Number: JK1846 .B47 2015

ISBN: 9780374158279

Countless books have been written about the civil rights movement, but far less attention has been paid to what happened after the dramatic passage of the Voting Rights Act (VRA) in 1965 and the turbulent forces it unleashed. Give Us the Ballot tells this story for the first time.

 

 

 

Presidential Elections 1789-2008 by CQ Researcher

Call Number: JK528 .P75 2010

ISBN: 9781604265415

This comprehensive resource explains with detail and clarity the evolution of presidential elections.