Can’t vote? You still have a voice.
The US election is under one month away and my social feeds are filled with posts from politicians, lobbyists, the media, friends, family, my wider community, and celebrities all with messages about policies they want to see implemented and who I should be backing. And these messages often come with an encouragement to ‘get out and vote’, ‘to have your voice heard’, and remind that ‘your vote will make the difference’. And of course they all will, but for me, and the other 25 million people who live in the United States and can’t vote, it’s frustrating. I am not (yet) legally entitled to cast my vote on November 5.
Often, those most affected by policy changes and also those most affected by climate change are the ones unable to vote. Our immigrant community in the USA is a large part of the workforce, but their voices can’t be heard because they don’t have the legal right to vote as they aren’t citizens.
So should I just shut up and put up with it? Or is there something else I can be doing?
What I have learned is that even if I don’t have the honor, privilege and right to vote in the US, I can still influence other people around me who do have that right. I can encourage them to think about their choices from different perspectives, talk about how they choose to vote and where they get their information from, to ask them about the climate change policies of the candidates they are considering to back, and whether that person is working for all communities, not just the wealthy. And don’t forget that even if we can’t vote ourselves, we can still go and ask our lawmakers and governors to listen to us and it is our right to go to the capitol and ask to speak and talk to the representatives to put across our ideas.
So for those of you like me who can’t vote, don’t forget that you do still have power and a voice, even if you're not the one to fill in the voting form yourself.
No matter if you have the right or not you can still influence others around you.
Another great way to have your voice heard is to get involved in your local community - something I really value when I’m back home in Park City.
I’m a member of the Park City LGBTQ+ Task Force which works to raise the voices of all the city’s LGBTQ+ residents, to create a welcoming and affirming community for everyone. And by being involved with them I can have a voice and share my thoughts on how we can ensure that those who are affected the most by policies are aware of what is proposed or happening and what they can do to push for change.
Don’t be disheartened if you can’t vote yourself, you do still have a voice. Get out there and use it!
Resources:
Listen to this podcast from the Green Sports Pod about how sport is being impacted by climate change, featuring the incredible Doctor Maddy Orr, assistant professor of sport ecology and the University of Toronto.
Act by texting three friends to vote. Get inspired by the Stoke the Vote campaign from Protect Our Winters.
Read this great blog from Vanessa Chavarriaga, a climate activist and resident in the US who can’t vote and her perspective.
Watch this film from the Brookings Institution exploring the facts and tackling the myths about immigration, the economics of immigration and the important role immigrants play in both developing and sustaining the American economy.