  We analyze the matrix element of the electroweak current between $q \qb$
vector meson states in the framework of a covariant extension of the
light-front formalism. The light-front matrix element of a one-body current is
naturally associated with zero modes, which affect some of the form factors
that are necessary to represent the Lorentz structure of the light-front
integral. The angular condition contains some information on zero modes, i.e.,
only if the effect of zero modes is accounted for correctly, is it satisfied.
With plausible assumptions we derive from the angular condition several
consistency conditions which can be used quite generally to determine the zero
mode contribution of form factors. The correctness of this method is tested by
the phenomenological success of the derived form factors. We compare the
predictions of our formalism with those of the standard light-front approach
and with available data. As examples we discuss the magnetic moment of the
$\rho$, the coupling constant $g_{D^\ast D \pi}$, and the coupling constants of
the pseudoscalar density, $g_\pi$ and $g_K$, which provide a phenomenological
link between constituent and current quark masses.
