At the end of the day, the most important thing for you to know when it comes to engaging with politics is what you value, why you hold your values, and how you want to connect with your community to bring those values to light. The Center for Democracy and Civic Life hosts a wide variety of programs to help you navigate these questions; check out our other pages for more information.
There are some specific types of information that people often ask about during election cycles, and we have provided information and resources below. Be on the lookout for events and programs that will be hosted by the Center and others to learn even more.
How To Engage If Ineligible To Vote
A major barrier to political engagement in the United States is that many see voting as the only way to be involved in politics, which can exclude immigrant, undocumented, and underage populations. Here at UMBC, we think it is important to include everyone in political life as well as foster an understanding that there are ways to engage in political life outside of elections. During election seasons, it is especially important to find ways to engage even if you are unable to vote. Check out our Events page for other opportunities to find out how to engage in social change and make our world better.
Understanding the Positions On The Ballot
Elections are about more than the president. It is important to understand the full slate of the positions that are up for election, including at the sta
te and local levels. Below, we provide a series of links to learn about each position you may see on a ballot. Which positions you will be voting for will depend on where you have registered to vote.
Elected Position Information
President
“As the head of the executive branch, the president is responsible for enforcing the nation’s laws. Although federal laws are passed by Congress, the president decides which ones are most important to enforce. The president also appoints federal judges and nominates people to fill open seats on the U.S. Supreme Court. The president’s choices for judges and Cabinet members must be approved by the U.S. Senate.” The president is also considered head of foreign policy, representing the United States abroad, negotiating treaties, and appointing ambassadors. They are also considered the Commander in Chief, with ultimate authority about when and where troops are deployed.
U.S. Senator
“A senator generally carries more power than the average individual member of the House because a senator represents an entire state while a House member represents only one district within a state. In representing an entire state, a senator is in most cases responsible for more constituents than a House Representative…” Beyond the basic task of developing and passing laws and legislation, “Senators are empowered to conduct impeachment proceedings of high federal officials, are tasked with exercising the power of advice and consent on treaties, and play an important role in the confirmation (or denial) of certain appointments including ambassadors and judicial court justices.”
U.S. Congressional Representative
In the United States, “Congress” refers to the combination of the Senate and the House of Representatives. “Congressional Representative” refers to members of the House of Representatives. “Per the Constitution, the House [of Representatives] and Senate together make and pass federal laws, introduce bills and resolutions, offer amendments, and serve on committees that enable members to develop specialized knowledge on the matters under that committee’s jurisdiction.” However, “…the Constitution “provides that only the House of Representatives may originate revenue bills.” By tradition, the House also originates appropriation bills,” meaning that representatives are involved in the process of funding and budgeting. The House also “…initiates impeachment proceedings and passes articles of impeachment (the Senate sits as a court to try the impeachment). Finally, during a presidential election, the House of Representatives steps in if no candidate receives a majority of the total electoral votes.
Delegates to the Republican and Democratic National Conventions
“A delegate is a person chosen to represent their state or community at their party’s presidential nominating convention and select a candidate to represent their party on the November ballot. They are usually early supporters of a candidate, party activists or political leaders. Delegates are selected in primaries or caucuses at state-level party conventions and are typically early supporters of a candidate, party activists or political leaders…Each party has two similar categories of delegates that go by different names. The Democratic party has “pledged” and “unpledged” delegates, and the Republican party has “bound” and “unbound” delegates. Pledged and bound delegates have to vote for whichever candidate in their party wins the primary or caucus in their state. Unpledged and unbound delegates may choose to vote for any candidate regardless of their state’s primary or caucus results.” Since Maryland is a closed primary state, “…only voters registered with a given party can vote in that party’s primary,” and thus vote for that party’s delegates.
USA Today | What are presidential delegates and how does the process work?
Circuit Court Judge
“Circuit Courts are where jury trials are held. Circuit Courts generally handle more serious criminal cases and major civil cases. These include juvenile and other family law cases such as divorce, custody and child support. The Circuit Courts hear most cases appealed from the District Court, orphans’ courts and some administrative agencies. Circuit Courts also hear domestic violence cases. Cases may be decided by juries, but also may be decided by a judge only.”
School Board/Board of Education Member
“…school board members are unpaid volunteers who must balance careers and family with the demands of overseeing a public school district. In general, all school boards have three major responsibilities: developing the annual budget to run the school system; setting school policies; and hiring and evaluating the superintendent.”
City Mayor/County Executive
“The mayor (or manager in a council-manager city) is the chief executive of the agency, charged with carrying out policies set by the council, seeing to it that local laws are enforced, and managing the day-to-day agency operations, including the supervision of all appointive officers and employees in the performance of their official functions.”
Municipal Research and Services Center | Knowing Your Roles: City and Town Governments
City Council Member
“In Baltimore, the City Council constitutes the Legislative Branch of government. It considers bills (proposed legislation) offered by Council members and assigned to the Council’s standing committees for consideration and hearings.”
Maryland Manual On-Line | Baltimore City, Maryland: Legislative Branch
Comptroller
“The Baltimore City Comptroller’s Office…is responsible for all payments and disbursements made by the City with the exception of payroll and debt management,…provides regular financial and performance audits of City agencies and City government as a whole,…manages all of the City’s real estate holdings,…supervises the City’s Department of Telecommunications and provides telephone services to all city agencies,…[and] is responsible for handling the city’s mail, both by operating interagency mail service and serving as an intermediary with the USPS for all mail coming to and from city agencies.”
Understanding the Candidates
UMBC and the Center for Democracy and Civic Life are non-partisan organizations, meaning that it is not our role to actively work to support any political parties. Our work to engage voters is meant for everyone, regardless of political ideology.
We present the following information sources (in alphabetical order) for comparing political candidates as options, without commentary on which you should use. Informed voters have the freedom to make choices about what information they read, and it is our intent here to provide multiple options so that you can make the choice for yourself. This information should not be taken as endorsement of any political candidate or political party.
The voting guides listed here are primarily focused on candidates for federal and state office. You can also find guides online focused on candidates for local office. Feel free to email us (civiclife@umbc.edu) if you would like to suggest another guide for us to consider including in this list. Current links are for the 2024 election. Links for the future elections will be posted as information about candidates becomes available.
- Ballotpedia Voter Guide: “Ballotpedia is the digital encyclopedia of American politics, and the nation’s premier resource for unbiased information on elections, politics, and policy…Our content includes neutral, accurate, and verifiable information on government officials and the offices they hold, political issues and public policy, elections, and candidates.”
- CNN Voter Guide: “We are truth-seekers and storytellers. We are journalists, designers and technologists, united by a mission to inform, engage and empower the world. We bear witness to history as it unfolds and explain not just what happened, but why, and what it means to you.”
- Council on Foreign Relations Voter Guide: “The Council on Foreign Relations (CFR) is an independent, nonpartisan membership organization, think tank, and publisher dedicated to being a resource for its members, government officials, business executives, journalists, educators and students, civic and religious leaders, and other interested citizens in order to help them better understand the world and the foreign policy choices facing the United States and other countries.”
- guides.vote Voter Guide: “Our guides.vote team creates nonpartisan voters guides, in English and Spanish, to key elections across the United States. These carefully researched guides allow readers to make confident voting decisions based on clear understanding about where the candidates stand. They offer a concise and credible way to help potential voters overcome political cynicism, overload, and misinformation by making clear the difference between candidates and the stakes of showing up. They help people get past the myth that it’s not worth voting because candidates are “all the same.”
- League of Women Voters Personalized Ballot: “The League is a political grassroots network and membership organization that believes the freedom to vote is a nonpartisan issue. For more than a century, we’ve worked to empower voters and defend democracy. As a women-led organization, we encourage everyone to take part in our democracy.”
- NBC Voter Guide: “NBC News Digital is a collection of innovative and powerful news brands that deliver compelling, diverse and visually engaging stories on your platform of choice…We provide something for every news consumer with our comprehensive offerings that deliver the best in breaking news, segments from your favorite NBC News shows, live video coverage, original journalism, lifestyle features, commentary and local updates.”
- New York Times Voter Guide: “We seek the truth and help people understand the world. This mission is rooted in our belief that great journalism has the power to make each reader’s life richer and more fulfilling, and all of society stronger and more just.”
- Reuters Voter Guide: “Together with the professionals and institutions we serve, we help uphold the rule of law, turn the wheels of commerce, catch bad actors, report the facts, and provide trusted, unbiased information to people all over the world. Our role at Thomson Reuters is to serve our customers, pursuing justice, truth, and transparency.”
Serving as an Election Judge in Baltimore County
An Election Judge is responsible for ensuring proper voting on Election Day. This includes opening and closing polling sites, monitoring activity at polling sites, verifying voter information, issuing ballots, explaining the voting process, and directing voters around polling sites.
In Baltimore County, there are two types of Election Judges: Election Judges and Closers.
Election Judges must be motivated and able to work long hours from 5:45 a.m. to 10 p.m. Compensation is $250 for regular Election Judges, $300 for Provisional and Same-Day Registration Judges, and $350 for Chief Judges. $50 will also be compensated for attending a mandatory training session. Compensation will be distributed after the Judge has served on Election Day.
Qualifications to become an Election Judge include:
- Being age 17 or older
- Being registered to vote in Maryland
- The ability to work a 15 hour day
- The ability to read, write, and speak English
Closers assist with set-up the night before Election Day, closing the polling site, and returning materials on Election Day. Working hours for Closers are from approximately 6 to 9 p.m. Compensation is $100 for service on Election Day and $25 for attending a mandatory training session.
Qualifications to become a Closer include:
- Being age 17 or older
- Being registered to vote in Maryland
- The ability to read, write, and speak English
- The ability to follow written and verbal instructions
- The ability to drive yourself to the polling and regional collection sites on Election Day
- Access to a cell phone to communicate with the Board of Elections
Applications to become an Election Judge or Closer can be found on the Baltimore County Government website. A representative from the Judge’s Department will contact you after the form has been completed.