Recently, some politicians have been announcing their campaign to run for United States president in 2016. The elections are about a year and a half away and the primaries will be coming up even sooner.

You may not think the primaries are worth your attention – maybe you’ll just worry about this next November – but the person running for each political party can affect the outcome of the election, probably more so than the party itself.

We’re all at the age where the next U.S. president affects us. If you’re a student, it’ll affect the cost of your education. Graduates need to start worrying about taxes. Everyone who’s employed should worry about their retirement.

Usually each party has a specific viewpoint on a number of issues, and that rarely changes from candidate to candidate, but regardless we as American citizens should take time to read up on candidates from each political party.

Maybe you don’t agree with a party’s standpoint on a specific issue, but if they’re trying to better something that you’re concerned about, they might be worth looking into.

Political ads generally stretch the truth, in both a positive and negative direction, so if you’re going to base your knowledge on that, try looking into each candidate’s viewpoints objectively.

Ontheissues.com usually lists what each politician is for and against. It has proven to be pretty useful. You can also go to the campaign websites to find out more about each individual running.

Aside from that, watch debates, read and watch the news, above all stay informed.