Here’s Why You Should Vote in the Midterms
‘Voting is actually a really important, joyous thing’ says the CEO of the League of Women Voters.
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Hello, friends! Election day is TOMORROW in the U.S. and so I wanted to pop into your inbox with answers to a few key voting questions. Real talk: Midterms typically don’t get the turnout that a presidential election does. In 2020, when Joe Biden beat Donald Trump, almost 67% of the voting-age population cast a ballot, according to the Census Bureau. That’s compared to about 53% in the midterms two years earlier — and that was a very good year. The Census Bureau called it a “record-breaking midterm election.”
And while we are on the topic of turnout, a reminder that older generations are much more reliable voters than younger people. The 2018 midterm turnout was driven in part by a surge in people age 18 to 29, with almost 36% casting a ballot; 49% of people age 30 to 44 did, too, according to the Census Bureau. However, both groups still significantly trailed the 66% turnout of those age 65 and older.
Let’s try to top that this year, shall we? The Sussexes agree: “We all have a voice and this is one key way to use it and help shape our future,” reads a message on Archewell.
For a guide on what is at stake in this election, check out Jessica Yellin's News Not Noise newsletter. Below, more thoughts on why you should vote and how to prepare to vote thanks to a great conversation I had with Virginia Kase Solomón, chief executive office of the League of Women Voters. The nonpartisan, grassroots organization is all about encouraging voting, as well as protecting and expanding voting rights throughout the country.
Virginia Kase Solomón speaking at the League of Women Voters convention earlier this year. How about that white trouser suit! (Photo via League of Women Voters)
Why should I vote in the midterm elections?
“Every single election has implications for people’s everyday lives,” Virginia says. “It’s not just those top-of-the-ticket races that really matter.” These days, she continues, “smaller races that have so much more of an impact on what happens to us—whether it’s your school board elections, your town council, your Circuit Court judges.” The fact of the matter is that your local elected officials are the ones “making decisions in our lives on a daily basis,” according to Virginia, so take the time you need to make an informed choice on the down-ballot races.
How can I better research the down-ballot races and issues?
You can, and should, prepare before you head to the ballot box. The League of Women Voters has a website — Vote411.org — where you can type in your address and receive a guide to what’s on the ballot. You can read what they have compiled and do some Googling of your own if you like, just make sure you are receiving your information from credible news sources.
After you’ve done your research, you can use the Vote411 site to print out your choices and take that with you to the polls. “It’s a really great opportunity for voters to be able to have their voting plan in place to be able to be informed and make decisions without being rushed,” Virginia says.
Are our elections secure?
Yes. “It is a contentious time, it’s a polarized time,” Virginia says, but she is clear: “Our elections are secure.” Around the country, there are tens of thousands of people “working to make sure that our election systems run smoothly.”
In fact, 2020 was deemed “the most secure in American history,” according to governmental security and elections experts. “There is no evidence that any voting system deleted or lost votes, changed votes, or was in any way compromised,” read a release from the Election Infrastructure Government Coordinating Council Executive Committee.
Does my vote really count?
Also yes! “Voting is actually a really important, joyous thing,” Virginia says. “It’s one of the best things that we can do to have some kind of agency over our lives.”
Beyond a specific outcome, Virginia says it helps to think of the momentum that builds over time. She votes in Maryland where cannabis is on the ballot this fall. “Ten years ago, it would’ve never been on the ballot,” she says. “But slowly you started seeing this shift in people’s minds. And we see that with all types of legislation, that you start to see where the momentum is going and it allows us to be able to build towards legislative solutions and changes that we want, so that America can kind of fulfill this hope, this promise that it has.”
Screenshot this and share on your social media pages! (Graphic via the League of Women Voters)
How can I talk to my kids about voting?
“We know that civics has left the classroom in many places,” Virginia says. “And so it’s really important that parents talk about the importance of voting and how to vote and what to expect when to vote.” You can bring your kids with you to the ballot box, have a chat with them about the process, or stage an election in your own home. Make sure to frame it as fun and celebratory, Virginia says, something to the effect of: “Isn’t this great that we live in this democracy where we get to do this? And how special and important is that?”
“That’s more important than going to see fireworks on the Fourth of July as far as I’m concerned,” Virginia says. “Because it’s something that they can see that they really can contribute to.” By encouraging participation, we’re creating a pipeline of voters in the next generation.
I’ve voted or have my voting plan set! What else can I do?
Phone a friend—or five. After you do your research on Vote411.org, share the site with five friends, Virginia says. Call them and ask them if they are registered to vote, if they have already voted and, if not, when they plan to vote. “All of those things are really, really important,” Virginia says.
Thank you, Virginia! And thank you to my dear friend, Erin Geiger Smith, for connecting us. Erin is the author of the book Thank You For Voting, which also comes in a version for young readers. Check it out for more of the history behind voting in the U.S. and follow her on Instagram at @thankyouforvoting.
Want to read more? Mandana Dayani, president of Archewell and creator and co-founder of I am a Voter, has penned a piece on voting for Harper’s Bazaar. Voting is “a huge responsibility,” she writes. “But it’s also a tremendous privilege. On Tuesday, I ask that you be empowered, not paralyzed by it.”
One last thing! We can all do our part to spread the word. The League of Women Voters has made it especially easy. Just save or screen shot the graphic below, share on your Instagram Stories, and encourage your friends to do the same.
I’ll see you at the polls! If there’s anything I can do to help get you there, or any questions I can answer about voting, just let me know. You can hit “Join the discussion” at the bottom of this page and leave a comment. Or send me a note at Hello@SoManyThoughts.com.
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(Header photo via Getty Images)