Join the new world

The fourth article in my ongoing series to educate new players to the world of eRepublik. Parts I through III can be found below:
Part I
Part II
Part III

Since congressional elections are coming up, I thought I'd focus on the political aspect of eRepublik in this edition of the eUSA FAQ's.

How do I vote?
First, you need to be experience level 6. Next, you can only vote on the 5th, 15th, and 25th of each month - this is when presidential, party president, and congressional elections are held, respectively. On these dates, go to the "community" tab on the menu and click "elections" and then vote for your favored candidate.

Why should I vote?
Aside from patriotism and the fact that votes in eRepublik matter exponentially more than they do in real life (many presidential elections have been decided by just one vote) - you also get two XP points from voting. That's the equivalent of one fight people!

Why should I join a party?
You can vote regardless of what party you belong to, even if you don't belong to a party - however, if you have aspirations to become a president, congress(wo)man, or party leader, then you need to join a party.

How do I run for congress?
First of all, you need to either belong to the top five political parties in the nation: the USWP , the UIP , the CvP , the AAP , or the Libs or you must be endorsed by them. You also need to be at least experience level 12 to run for congress.

I placed my candidacy for congress and I'm not on the ballot! What's wrong?
Nothing. You're either not in the top five parties or the party president picked another candidate over you.

What do you mean "picked another candidate"?
When two people are running for the same congress seat, it falls to the party president to decide who will be on the ballot and who is not. If they don't pick you, you're not on the ballot - if you're in the top five parties and you're the only one from your party to run for a particular state, then you're automatically on the ballot.

How are election ties resolved?
The candidate with the most experience points is elected if there is a tie.

Can I run for party president?
Yes you can, so long as you're experience level 13 and have two gold. The party president position is the only elected office you need to pay to enter - a two gold fee to submit your candidacy. Unlike other elections, party president elections are only limited to specific parties, so you don't need to be in the top five parties to be in this election.

Can I run for President?
Depends. Are you experience level 14? Are you in the top five parties or received their endorsement? Do other people want you as president? The last one is crucial, since the presidential candidate position is the only position you can't apply for, the party president must nominate you.

I'm in congress! Now what?
Assloads of work, that's what. Be prepared to virtually live in the House of Representin' and sell your soul to the President and Speaker of the House. Don't run for congress if you aren't prepared for the job, but if you can handle the work and responsibility and want to be a part of the eRepublik political process, by all means announce your candidacy and start campaigning, you never know where your eRep political career will take you.