In November, America elects its next president. Your vote will matter. The candidate that wins will definitely have an impact on our lives and futures. As students and  young adults, we prepare for our futures with the choices we make every day. Your vote for president is one of those choices.

If you are registered to vote it is important and even interesting to know where the candidates stand on the issues. The candidates’ camps spend a lot of time on their Web sites with information you can use to make your decision. The Internet is a valuable tool of communication and can dramatically influence peoples impressions of the candidates.

Barack Obama, who is running for a Democratic nomination, was elected in 2004 as a senator for Illinois. As part of Congress he has sponsored legislation on issues such as climate change, nuclear terrorism, lobbying and electoral fraud.

According to the Web site  barackobama.com, where full details of the Obama campaign can be found, "As president, Obama plans to implement an economic agenda ensuring America's middle class."

Public education has been a big part of my life and now as a young adult at the college level, I think a president committed to strengthening our public schools is important. He plans to do this by giving both rural and urban schools more funding. He says he believes that "every American has the right to affordable health care.” Everything you want to know and more can be found on his Web site.

With the Internet being the first place many people go for information, each candidate's Web sites are full of the things you'd be interested in knowing about each candidate.

The Obama '08 Web site is appealing to the eye and also very comprehensive. For those interested, one can download Obama's Blue Print for Change: a plan for America. There is a link to Barack T.V., where many videos of his speeches can be viewed. Overall, Obama's Web site is user-friendly, attractive and interesting to navigate.              

Hillary Clinton, first lady to Bill Clinton and senator of New York since 2000, is also running on the Democratic ticket. As a U.S. senator she has been an advocate for children and families and has been a national leader on homeland security.

According to Hillary’s Web  site, hillaryclinton.com, she   plans to do things like strengthen the middle class, reform immigration, provide affordable healthcare and fight global warming. Hillary has been passionate for greater educational opportunities, and with that passion she plans on improving our K-12 system and has a plan to make college affordable for all.

Clinton's Web site, like both Obama's and McCain's, is blue with white and red accents, but neither of their Web sites prompts people to donate to their campaign as much as hers. It seems as if Clinton's Web site is just as much about getting some donation as it is about where she stands on the issues.

When visitors click on the issues link there is a long list with text under each topic explaining what she plans to do about each issue. Reading the summaries for each topic, one can't help but thinking that it seems more like a list of ideal outcomes and improvements than actual actions that need to be set forth. “Help Make History, Contribute” is in large text, making it the focal point of her home page and, it seems to me, her main point.

John McCain has won in the primaries and is the Republican nomination for president. He is a U.S. senator from Arizona, and in Congress, he has fought for eliminating wasteful government spending and strengthening our government.

On www.johnmccain.com, McCain's plans revolve a lot around business, taxes and government spending. Whereas both Clinton’s and Obama’s issues are similar, McCain's are different.

He wants to cut taxes, reform healthcare and win the war in Iraq; the Democratic candidates don't want to just fix healthcare but make it so it’s accessible for everyone. And they want to end the war in Iraq.

If you are unsure on whether you want to vote Republican or Democratic, the differences are made clear after visiting each Web site.

John McCain's Web site has the confidence Obama’s and Clinton's do not, due to the fact he has won the nomination. That could be why his link to his merchandising is larger than the other two Web sites: people know they can wear his T-shirts and hats until November.

McCain's dot com is different than the Democratic candidates' because it has a hero persona about it. The look of his site gives the impression that he is a hero who will save our country if elected; both Obama’s and Clinton's images make them look more like leaders than heroes.

His Web site has clear and decisive information concerning where he stands on the issues.

Your vote this November helps decide who the next leader of our country will be and your decision is important no matter whom you vote for.

The best way to learn about the candidates would be to visit their Web sites, read up on their plans and agendas and make an impression for yourself.