How to Join The Republican Party

Becoming a Member

Find your state’s GOP website. Every state has its own website. Search for “your state” and “GOP” in your favorite search engine. There should be a sign-up form on the homepage. You can also join the national GOP: https://www.gop.com/. However, your state’s party will share your information with the national umbrella organization—and vice versa. You only need to join one or the other.

Provide your personal information. The party might ask for only an email address, or they might also request your name and home address. You can provide this information online. By joining the state party, all you’re really doing is giving your contact information so that they can hit you up for donations in the future. If you want to make a real difference in GOP politics, you should consider other ways to participate.

Make a donation. You don’t pay annual fees to be a Republican. However, you can make a donation at either the state or national websites. Use your credit card. Donations are strictly voluntary and not required to join.

Receive updates. The primary purpose of joining your state party is to receive periodic updates about pending legislation at the state and national level. You might be invited to contact your elected representatives and ask them to vote a certain way. Joining the party this way doesn’t register you to vote as a Republican. Instead, you need to do that yourself.

Registering as a Republican Voter

Meet the requirements to register. There are no special requirements to register as a Republican voter. However, there are general requirements that apply to all voters, such as the following: You must be a U.S. citizen. Green card holders cannot register to vote. You must be old enough. Generally, the minimum age is eighteen, but some states let you register at seventeen. You must also be a resident of the state where you are registering. You must not have lost your voting rights. For example, many states strip felons of their right to vote. You can read a summary of state laws at http://www.ncsl.org/research/elections-and-campaigns/felon-voting-rights.aspx.

Contact your state’s election office. Find the office by searching for “your state” and "voter registration." Some states have made it easier to register to vote online, but others require that you download or request a registration form. You can find links to your state office at https://www.eac.gov/voters/register-and-vote-in-your-state/. Alternately, you might complete the National Mail Voter Registration Form: https://www.eac.gov/voters/national-mail-voter-registration-form/.

Fill out the form. Provide all requested information and double check that you have provided everything. You may need to send in supporting documentation along with your form. For example, you might need documents that show your current address, such as a copy of your state-issued ID, utility bill, or bank statement.

Select Republican as your party affiliation. The form should give you several choices for selecting a party. You can check the Republican box to register as a Republican. However, many states don’t give you the option to declare party affiliation when you register. As a registered Republican, you can vote in the party’s primary, where you will select the Republican candidate to stand for the general election. In some states, primaries are open, meaning anyone can vote in them.

Submit your form. Send it to the address on the form. You might need to call to check that you have been registered. Wait a couple weeks and then call the local elections board.

Learn about voter ID requirements. When it comes time to vote, you may need to present identification at the polling place. Each state sets its own requirements, so you should learn about them ahead of time. For example, Wisconsin, Kansas, and Tennessee require that you show a photo ID. If you don’t have acceptable ID, you can cast a provisional ballot. However, you must take your ID to the election office within a couple of days for the ballot to count. Other states require ID, but it doesn’t need to contain your photo.

Participating in Other Ways

Attend local party meetings. Your town or county should have a Republican Party committee, and you should attend their meetings. Typically, any party member can attend. Introduce yourself and learn about the important issues the committee is dealing with. Plan on listening at first. Express enthusiasm for the Republican Party, but don’t come across as a know-it-all. It takes time for people to trust you.

Encourage others to become involved. Many people don’t have strong political beliefs, so you can explain to them what it means to be a Republican. You might convince them to register as a Republican and maybe come aboard as a volunteer. Don’t spend all of your time trying to convert a Democrat. Instead, reach out to friends and family who express interest in your political activism. Let the local GOP committee know that you’ve recruited volunteers. This is a good way to build your reputation as a potential GOP leader of the future.

Volunteer. During election season, the GOP needs volunteers to make calls, hand out information, and attend rallies. Stop into your town or county headquarters and volunteer. The work might be boring at first—stuffing envelopes and answering questions over the phone. However, it’s a great way to meet people and help out. Volunteering also shows you are dedicated to the party. You will impress GOP bigwigs, who will remember you in the future. You can volunteer for the county headquarters or for individual GOP candidates. Try both!

Fundraise for the Republican Party. The GOP always needs money to support candidates running in national, state, or local elections. You can make contributions yourself but also fundraise. Money talks, and you'll gain considerable prestige in the organization if you prove to be a good fundraiser. Dip your toes into fundraising when you volunteer for your local committee. This might only involve making phone calls and speaking to local Republicans. At the end of the call, you hit them up for money. Suggest more creative fundraising methods. For example, you can have a sponsored walk to raise funds. Each volunteer solicits pledges from people they know, e.g., fifty cents for each mile walked. Consider holding a fundraiser meal. The candidate will attend, and you can charge people for tickets to attend. To maximize attendance, price reasonably and ask attendees to contribute on the side if they can.

Become a delegate. Republican delegates attend national, state, and local party conventions as representatives for the electorate. If you’re interested, contact your local precinct’s chairperson for more information. You probably won’t be picked as a delegate right off the bat. However, you can establish yourself first through volunteer and fundraising efforts, which will raise your profile.

Run for office. At some point, you might throw your hat in the ring as a Republican candidate for office. There are dozens of positions you can run for. Ideally, you’ll start small, such as running for your local committee. Then you can run for local offices, such as the school board, town council, or judge of elections.