Being registered gives you the right to vote in general elections and to carry and sign petitions for independent (non-party) candidates for office, and the duty to pay enough attention to try to sort out which candidates best support your interests (you must be 18 by election day to vote; 18 by Dec. 31 to register).

Does your registration specify the address where you currently live?

Are you enrolled in the party that best matches your ideals? With three of our current eight parties having had NY ballot status less than six years, it could be time to think of changing (see details below).

By the way, if you are enrolled now, primary elections are September 12, including for US Senate for Dem, Ind, RTL, and Green parties.

If any of the above needs fixing, best do it before October (if you wait until October, or move in October, please check with Board of Elections for exact deadlines). Fixing uses registration forms available at Post Offices, by calling 1-800-FOR-VOTE, etc.

Choosing to enroll in a party gives you rights, with other party members:

• To decide what candidates your party will nominate.

• In your local election district, to elect members of a committee to govern your party's county affairs.

• In your state committee district, to elect members of a committee to govern your party's statewide affairs.

The eight current parties are listed below in alphabetical order, with position on the ballot, brief notes, and Web pages where you can learn more about differences:

Conservative (4): Dedicated to upholding the principles championed by America's Founders in the Federalist Papers and the Constitution. These include an unwavering commitment to a democratic- republican form of government; to the rule of law; to a strong national defense; to the free enterprise system that has produced the unparalleled abundance that our nation enjoys; and to individual liberty. See http:// www.cpnys.org

Democratic (2): Well known. See http://www.nydems.org

Green (7): A statewide organization of citizens working to set a political, social, and economic framework to provide a peaceful, just, and environmentally sane world for the generations to come. A global society of hope and true prosperity must today be founded on the four Green principles of ecology, social justice, democracy, and nonviolence. Our shared purpose is to find the path to an evolving and sustainable society. See http://www.greens.org/ny

Independence (3): To elevate the voters of New York State to their rightful place as the sovereign rulers of the state, reducing office holders to be the servants of the people they were intended to be; committed to the elimination of the electoral advantages of incumbency; to restore fiscally responsible government. See http://ipny.org

Liberal (5): Longest existing third party in the US, founded in 1944 in response to corruption and special interest control in the major parties. Still an influential force in NY, continuing to support aspirants for office who are both progressive in their ideas and capable of meeting the challenge of providing good government. http://www.liberalparty.org/

Republican(1): See http://www. nygop.org

Right to Life (6): Founded in 1970, this is the political voice of the unborn in the Empire State. With active party chapters throughout the state, we strive to shape and influence law and policy at every level of government. See http://www.nrlc.org

Working Families (8): The goal of the Working Families Party is to forcefully inject the issues of working, middle-class, and poor people -- like jobs, health care, education, and housing -- into the public debate, and hold candidates and elected officials accountable on those issues. See http://www.working familiesparty.org

Do to no one what you would not want done to you!