A successful democracy depends on the faith and involvement of the people. The best way to participate is to vote, not only in the general election every four years, but in local elections, from school boards to local legislatures. Voting always matters. Even encouraging kids to vote in student body elections and participate in their student councils can start them on the path to being informed and involved citizens.
However, there are other ways of becoming involved in the political process. If you have the money and the stomach, you can run for political office. A more down-to-earth and often overlooked way of becoming more involved is to share your views with elected representatives.
But are politicians really concerned about the views of their constituents? A July 2019 NY Times opinion article addressed that very issue and argued that most legislators were not all that concerned with their constituents’ views.[1]
Does that mean that people should just cease all interactions with politicians? CQ Roll Call is a media company that reports on congressional news.[2] A March 2021 article found that about three-fourths of citizens would accept politicians casting votes different from their own, as long as they feel they are being heard. Moreover, most believe that such interactions are important to democracy.[3] Therefore, how do you get heard by those who set policy and make the laws?
Why is this important?
Why do we need to know this?
Politics is about choice and not all can be pleased with the same time. That, however, should not discourage you from contacting your representative. Maybe you share the same opinion as others, and it could be your voice that finally puts the issue over the top and convinces the legislator to vote in a certain way. It’s the squeakiest wheel that gets the oil. So, I say continue to reach out to your representatives anyway. Contact your relatives and friends and maybe you’ll create a groundswell in favor of or against a particular position. Call, email, visit, or even write a blog … but by all means VOTE! Cast your vote for a candidate that is in line with your values. You never know, you may be the very one to influence policy. Your vote matters.
Be Informed
Be Engaged
Be Involved
[1] https://www.nytimes.com/2019/07/11/opinion/politicians-voters.html
[2] https://cqrollcall.com/about-cq-roll-call/
[3] https://www.rollcall.com/2021/03/17/voters-to-congress-are-you-listening/