Everyone knows about the big presidential elections, but how do those people get nominated?

They’re voted for in primary elections. Primaries are an important part of the election process. This is how nominees for each political party are decided.

Some time during the first half of 2020, every U.S. state will hold Republican and Democratic primaries.

Step one when selecting a candidate to support for your party is research. Figure out which candidate represents your beliefs closely. Just because you share a political party affiliation with someone, doesn’t mean they’re the perfect match. Read articles, tweets, books or anything else to gain information on the candidate you support. If they stand for something you disagree with, you can always find a new candidate. 

This year, the Democrats have a plethora to choose from. Researching every candidate can be a long and grueling process, but it’s important to vote for what you believe in.

But you can’t get to voting without step two: Registering to vote.

Every state has different voting deadlines. Some are on election day, while others are more than a month in advance. 

In Pennsylvania, the deadline to vote for 2020 primaries is March 28, 2020. 

Registration applications can be submitted one of four ways: Online, by mail, in person at your local voter registration office or through PennDOT (or other government agency). Voters must be 18 on or before election day in order to register in Pennsylvania. 

Once you’ve applied, your county voter registration office will approve or deny your application. 

Once you’ve completed this process, you can move on to step three: Take your voter registration card that you received in the mail and go to the polls. 

Be confident in the candidate you’re voting for. Some pollsters reported Donald Trump only had a 4 percent chance of winning the presidency and he still did it.

So just because your candidate isn’t the favorite among others in your party, doesn’t mean they have no chance of winning.

Primaries are an important part of the democratic process. So remember: Do your research, register and I’ll see you at the polls on April 28.