Grass-roots politics blossoms in digital age

The late Speaker of the House of Representatives, Tip O'Neill, once quipped "All politics is local."

And although it's easy to believe a national presidential campaign is more about "them" than it is about "us," the truth is that what happens in the White House affects what happens right here in Camarillo.

National policies drafted and guided by the president impact our elected leaders at city hall, our children in the classroom and our wallets at the gas pumps and elsewhere.

This year in California- for the first time in a generation- voters will have a chance to cast their ballots on Feb. 5 before the nominations have been decided.

The national zeitgeist for change in Washington, D.C., is leading a soaring number of Americans to not only register to vote, but to get involved at a local level in supporting their chosen candidates. The same is true right here in Camarillo and across Ventura County.

This election year may very well be remembered as the one in which grass-roots politics made a comeback.

The Internet, with e-mail, digital town-hall meetings and webcasts of presidential debates, has made learning about the candidates and getting involved in their campaigns easier than ever before.

Granted, finding time to volunteer for a presidential campaign isn't possible for most people. What is possible, though, is to register to vote and to make it to the polls on primary election day, Feb. 5.

The deadline to register to vote is Tues., Jan. 22.

For more information about the election or how to volunteer as a poll worker on election day, call (805) 654-2781.