War, no war. Taxes, no taxes. Cut this, not that. In the current political environment, it’s difficult not to have an opinion. Today we’re going to look at how to use the Internet as a tool for civic engagement.

Talk to your elected official; find and contact them through the Internet. The University of Minnesota hosts a resource that will help you find your elected officials and their contact information.

Join respectful, political conversations with other Minnesotans through one of the many email lists supported by E-Democracy. List topics center on geography, issue, or are announcement-based.

Keep up on the trends. Democracy has a list of links related to politics, policy, and special interest groups. Consider subscribing to the Minnesota State Legislature’s What’s New email announcement list. And don’t forget your local newspaper online – many encourage email letter to the editors and often publish more online that in the traditional paper.

For more information consider attending Net & Elections and Online Advocacy in Minnesota this Thursday on the University of Minnesota campus. It’s a panel discussion that is free and open to the public – learn more at the E-Democracy web site.