Does Voting Really Matter? Voting for the Planet and Environmental Activism All Year Long

Written By Emma Dendler

Environmentalists often say “get out and vote” and in particular, “vote for the planet!” But does it work? Do our votes truly matter?

Yes! But, there’s something more impactful we can do AFTER we vote. First, let’s talk about voting.

Register to Vote

Before we even talk about the importance of voting (spoiler alert: it’s important) we have to first talk about registering to vote! Here’s how you do it:

  1. Go to vote.org

  2. Type in the information it asks for (name, etc). This will check to see if you are registered (doesn’t hurt to double- or triple-check!) and if you’re not, it will help you get started

Now that you’re registered, it’s time to learn about HOW to vote in your district/state since each state is a bit different. For example, when I was a registered voter in Ohio, I had to re-register every single January to vote absentee AND I had to request every single ballot I wanted to receive via the mail. But, now that I’m a Washington voter (at least while I’m writing this), they automatically send everyone their ballots via the mail and include a prepaid envelope. I love how accessible Washington makes it to vote!

And this is just two states. Check your state’s rules especially if you are an absentee voter!

Does voting really matter?

Alright, the hard part is out of the way (but it was pretty easy to register, wasn’t it?) let’s talk about the hard topic: does your vote really matter? In short, yes, it does! But, here’s the long answer:

According to the League of Women Voters, “When you cast your vote for President of the United States, you are not voting directly for a candidate. Instead, your vote — and the votes of everyone else in your state — directs the votes of the people who actually vote directly for President: presidential electors, otherwise known as members of the Electoral College. “

The electoral college are our 538 representatives in congress and the senate. The president must win 270 or more electoral votes to win the presidency.

Image from Squarespace

This is how we get the popular vote and the electoral college vote. In 2016, Donald Trump lost the popular vote but won the presidency. This might make you think that your vote doesn’t matter. If it were truly up to the people, Hilary Clinton would’ve won.

And this is where it gets a little tricky. Your vote DOES matter, but the bigger the election, the less it matters due to things like the electoral college. This is why your vote matters especially for your congressmen and senators since they are the ones who will vote for the president.

Since our vote matters less for the presidential election, should we just sit it out? No, keep exercising your right to vote and remember to vote in ALL elections.

I think this is why people think their vote doesn’t matter: they only vote once every 4 years and then see the outcome of the electoral college. It can be discouraging for sure. If I had a dollar for every time I said it, I’d be loaded, but vote in ALL elections. Voting for your mayor matters. Voting for your sheriff matters. Voting for your congressmen and senators may matter the most! And don’t forget to vote in primary elections, too.

Image from Squarespace

What to do after elections to make a difference

Voting matters, yes, but we shouldn’t stop there. We elected our leaders to serve us and their community/country. Let’s tell them what we want them to achieve. Once your representatives are in office, write to them, email them, call them, attend town halls, attend press conferences, and more. Learn about what they are doing for you and your neighbors and tell them what you want done. If you want them to act on climate policy, tell them. If you want them to demand a ceasefire in Gaza, tell them. Sure they CAN act on their own opinions, but they shouldn’t as they are public servants of their district and they don’t know what the public wants if we don’t tell them.

If you have never contacted your reps or maybe don’t even know who they are, I have some good starting points for you:

Other ways to make change

How cool it would be if you did all of these action items. But how much cooler would it be if you got your friends, family, coworkers, and neighbors involved. Will our politicians listen if we are the only one saying something? Maybe. But are they much more likely to listen if 10s, 100s, or even 1000s of their constituents are demanding the same action? Oh yes!

So, inspire others. Show your family how easy it is to register to vote and use the Chilli app to tell your senators and congressmen what you want them to do. Show your friends how easy it is to write an email to your reps. Make the actions multiplied!

Be sure to stay up to date on politics. Learn what your representatives are doing when they’re in D.C. Read books about topics that you’re passionate about. Voting happens all the time so be prepared!

You can also get involved with local politics organizations, attend rallies, attend town halls, press conferences, and more.

We have the power to make the world a better place both by voting and also taking direct action in our communities.

How will you change the world?

Image from Squarespace

Thank you so much for reading along. I hope this leaves you inspired and ready to vote this November and all year long in every year after this.

Keep up to date with elections here!

As always, remember that your small actions (something as simple as voting) make a big difference in the long run

Emma

Emma Dendler
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