I celebrated my birthday during the middle of the month in Dallas, TX, with my dad and my sister. We enjoyed venturing into different museums and learning more about Texas' history. It was entertaining and insightful, but not just for the information on what lies in the past.

We experienced life, for a moment, inside and outside of the metropolis. The larger city was filled with a diverse range of people, from the more liberal-minded to the far-right. Although more of Dallas' inhabitants leaned left, we were still in Texas, where opinions tend to resemble California's Central Valley region, where I grew up more than anything. So many people were visibly supporting one candidate or another, but many people were not planning on officially acting on their thoughts and opinions by participating in the democratic process.

Despite the appearance of civic participation online and in the public sphere, many people I have run into across the U.S. did not have a plan to vote in this year's election, believing their voice doesn't count or that they don't feel like they have enough knowledge to make an informed decision on our country's leadership. Hearing this reminded me why I stress investing in education, especially for our youth.

“The U.S. Census Bureau published its survey data on voter registration and turnout in the November 2022 midterm elections on May 2. The data reveal persistent gaps in voter turnout rates between low-income and high-income people. Sixty-seven percent of eligible voters with household incomes above $100,000 voted, compared to just 33% of eligible voters with household incomes below $20,000. These disparities underscore the need for advocates, direct service providers, tenant organizers, housing providers, and other organizations that work with low-income renters to register voters and get out the vote in their communities (National Low-Income Housing Coalition).”

Four years after Biden won the state of Georgia by fewer than 12,000 votes, the campaigns of Vice President Kamala Harris and former President Donald Trump have poured financial and tactical resources into the state based on the theory that the outcome may be determined as much by who doesn’t vote as who does.

Voting is obviously essential, but how can we expect those who are uninformed to take up the mantle and continue progressing society forward when they lack access to civic education, don't know their own past, aren't paying attention to the present because they are overwhelmed, and have no plans for the future? It will take some time to get others on board with improving civic participation by funding and making education more readily available to the population. In the meantime, however, do your due diligence by making sure that you are registered to vote, researching the propositions and measures on your ballot, and having a voting plan. 

You can still conditionally register to vote and cast a provisional ballot in person at your County Elections Office at any time up to, including Election Day in California, and if you're out of state, you can check the voting rules in your area by visiting Vote.org. Help other friends, family, or community members to make a voting plan and VOTE. 

Sources

National Low Income Housing Coalition. 2023 May 15. New Census Data Reveal Voter Turnout Disparities in 2022 Midterm Elections. https://nlihc.org/resource/new-census-data-reveal-voter-turnout-disparities-2022-midterm-elections

United States Census Bureau. 2023 Apr. Voting and Registration in the Election of November 2022. https://www.census.gov/data/tables/time-series/demo/voting-and-registration/p20-586.html