Dear Young People: Protesting Is Great, But Actually Voting Is Better

Published by PolisPandit on June 2, 2020June 2, 2020

I say this as a millennial.  Apart from the 2008 election, voting turnout in the 18 to 29 year-old age range is well below 50%.  In non-Presidential years, turnout is even worse.  The recent 2018 election was the only year in recent history that cracked 30% turnout for this age group in a non-Presidential election year.  The 30 to 44 year-old age range is not much better, with turnout almost always below 60% even in Presidential election years.  The data is glaring – most young people do not vote.         

Protesting, particularly in a nonviolent and civilly disobedient manner, can be very effective. The practice is inherently American. The First Amendment restricts government from making laws that prohibit “the right of the people peaceably to assemble, and to petition the government for a redress of grievances.” Protesting is a great means for vocalizing grievances, raising awareness, and communicating a message. In order to effectuate actual change, however, Americans must elect the right people at the federal, state, and local levels. After all, in a representative democracy, politicians must govern and pass laws based on the will of the people. And depending on their role, they likely conduct other important tasks including, hiring staffs, appointing officers, and exercising broad authority over administrative agencies and functions that govern the daily lives of Americans.

As former President Barack Obama highlighted, “But eventually, aspirations have to be translated into specific laws and institutional practices — and in a democracy, that only happens when we elect government officials who are responsive to our demands.” He goes on to explain that “the elected officials who matter most in reforming police departments and the criminal justice system work at the state and local levels.” These are the politicians who have a direct impact on the lives of most people. The decision whether to investigate, indict, and sentence a police officer who used unlawful force or engaged in inappropriate conduct is almost always made by an elected official at a state or local level. Obama said it best:

So the bottom line is this: if we want to bring about real change, then the choice isn’t between protest and politics. We have to do both. We have to mobilize to raise awareness, and we have to organize and cast our ballots to make sure that we elect candidates who will act on reform.

How many of these protestors actually voted in their recent state and local elections? Casting a ballot does not play on social media like protesting, but the civic duty of voting is a necessary condition for effecting change. Black boxes on Instagram may show solidarity, but voting – no matter how mundane the state prosecutor role may seem – makes a huge impact, especially at the state and local levels. These elections have a remarkable impact on policing in the community considering that mayors across the country typically appoint police chiefs. Yet few people under 50 years-old actually participate in electing them.

Certain political parties excel, however, at the state and local level. A few years ago, John Oliver ran a segment on how successful Republicans have been in state and local races. They turn out regularly. It should be no surprise then that most state houses have Republican majorities (61 Republican-controlled chambers v. 37 controlled by Democrats). America, these chambers make the decisions that have the biggest impact on your daily lives. Ignoring elections for these seemingly inconsequential officials may empower leaders whose ideology and values are not emblematic of the communities they represent.

So get out and vote. Take the same passion that you have right now to protest and carry it to the ballot box. Government should encourage greater participation, despite some of their attempts to suppress it, whether it’s through universal absentee ballots and/or declaring voting day a national holiday. For the George Floyd protests to effectuate change, they must be combined with greater participation by young people in the political process. Only then can America take tangible steps toward racial justice and equality.