Ways to Meet People in an Election Year
Use your political passion to find new, likeminded, friends. While you can use the following ideas to meet people any time of year, during election season it's even easier to make the transition from casual acquaintance to friend with these suggestions.
Volunteer for a Campaign
If you're passionate about a particular candidate, why not volunteer for their staff? All levels of candidates can use a little extra assistance during elections, which might include making phone calls, stuffing envelopes, sending emails, or even doing some research. By volunteering you'll be surrounded with others who share similar beliefs as you do, so starting up a new conversation will be an easy task.
Attend a Rally
These are held near election time, and you can show up as an attendant or volunteer. Rallies are good places to make friends with other people you might have seen in passing but were never able to chat with. You're likely to bump into a neighbor or two as well, but before you assume that they are there for the same reason you are, be sure to feel them out before launching into a political discussion.
Voting Administration Duty
Volunteers are always needed to help manage the voting lines and registration in your town, so call up the chamber of commerce, community center, or library to find out how you can help. The bonus about assisting in this way (besides doing a much-needed service for your community), is that you'll be seeing a lot of different people from your neighborhood. If there's someone that you've been meaning to chat with but haven't found the time, this could be one way to do it.
Not every friend-making opportunity involves voting or rallying. If you're unsure of the issues and facts regarding the election, sites like Politifact, Fact Check, and Open Secrets can help you sort out the truth from fiction. You can get to know people through the comments they post on these sites, and perhaps begin an online friendship with them. Being informed also helps you make friends in person, because people are attracted to those who are informed about the issues and can have an intelligent conversation.
Small talk is tricky when it comes to politics, because it's usually something you want to avoid with people you don't know very well. Very rarely do two people talk about an issue and then immediately agree on everything being said. However, in a political year you'll hear lots of people chatting about issues, and if you can join in with meaningful conversation, you'll have an easier time making friends with them down the road.
The key to successful small talk in this instance is being able to recognize someone who shares your views, knowing what to say to keep the conversation going, and then changing the subject if things get too heated. There are certain people that love a good debate, and you might be able to strike up a friendship with them. However, if you sense that an acquaintance is uncomfortable with the things you're talking about, change the subject for now. Focus on making new friendships rather than changing their mind about their opinions. You can still vote your conscience regardless if your new friend agrees with you or not, but it shouldn't affect the friendship.
Use your political passion to find new, likeminded, friends. While you can use the following ideas to meet people any time of year, during election season it's even easier to make the transition from casual acquaintance to friend with these suggestions.
Volunteer for a Campaign
If you're passionate about a particular candidate, why not volunteer for their staff? All levels of candidates can use a little extra assistance during elections, which might include making phone calls, stuffing envelopes, sending emails, or even doing some research. By volunteering you'll be surrounded with others who share similar beliefs as you do, so starting up a new conversation will be an easy task.
Attend a Rally
These are held near election time, and you can show up as an attendant or volunteer. Rallies are good places to make friends with other people you might have seen in passing but were never able to chat with. You're likely to bump into a neighbor or two as well, but before you assume that they are there for the same reason you are, be sure to feel them out before launching into a political discussion.
Voting Administration Duty
Volunteers are always needed to help manage the voting lines and registration in your town, so call up the chamber of commerce, community center, or library to find out how you can help. The bonus about assisting in this way (besides doing a much-needed service for your community), is that you'll be seeing a lot of different people from your neighborhood. If there's someone that you've been meaning to chat with but haven't found the time, this could be one way to do it.
Not every friend-making opportunity involves voting or rallying. If you're unsure of the issues and facts regarding the election, sites like Politifact, Fact Check, and Open Secrets can help you sort out the truth from fiction. You can get to know people through the comments they post on these sites, and perhaps begin an online friendship with them. Being informed also helps you make friends in person, because people are attracted to those who are informed about the issues and can have an intelligent conversation.
Small talk is tricky when it comes to politics, because it's usually something you want to avoid with people you don't know very well. Very rarely do two people talk about an issue and then immediately agree on everything being said. However, in a political year you'll hear lots of people chatting about issues, and if you can join in with meaningful conversation, you'll have an easier time making friends with them down the road.
The key to successful small talk in this instance is being able to recognize someone who shares your views, knowing what to say to keep the conversation going, and then changing the subject if things get too heated. There are certain people that love a good debate, and you might be able to strike up a friendship with them. However, if you sense that an acquaintance is uncomfortable with the things you're talking about, change the subject for now. Focus on making new friendships rather than changing their mind about their opinions. You can still vote your conscience regardless if your new friend agrees with you or not, but it shouldn't affect the friendship.
SHARE
