the brattiest thing you can do this election season is vote
pls vote tysm in advance 💖
i’m not going to pretend to be an expert about elections, that would be foolish. predicting outcomes would also be foolish of me, the only vote i can be sure of is my own, and of that it will be cast.
the brattiest thing you can do this election is vote. voting isn’t the end all be all solution to fix every problem, it is one of many important avenues for your voice to be heard.
you literally don’t even need to fill out the entire ballot. picking even one thing you care about is better than nothing at all. voting is registering your opinion at one moment in time. it’s ok to change your mind about policy over time.
one way to make voting a less painful process overall is to vote your heart in the primary, and to vote strategically in the general election. again, i’m not telling you how to vote or who to vote for, that’s entirely up to you! i’m asking that you consider voting AT ALL for ANYTHING.
in the meantime i’m curious - if you find the process of voting intimidating, daunting or impossible:
what feels inaccessible about voting to you?
what would make voting more accessible to you?
things you’re passionate about on your ballot?
in conclusion, the choice is yours tho 🐢✨
voting IS brat. period. "the brattiest thing you can do this election season is vote." is giving very much "fuck around and find out" energy, but make it civic duty. you're so right about voting not being a magical fix-all, but damn if it isn't a powerful tool in our activism toolbox. i'm reminded of all those times canvassing in virginia for pete in 2020 when folks would tell me "my vote doesn't matter." but honey, in local elections? every. vote. counts!!!
your point about voting your heart in primaries and getting strategic in the general is *chef's kiss*. it's how we push for progress while playing the long game.
as for accessibility - oof, don't get me started on how the system seems designed to make voting as complicated as possible sometimes. i remember when i worked on this one campaign (yes, it was for a republican don't hate me) in michigan and found out some folks had to drive 2+ hours to their polling place? criminal.
hey, random thought - would you be down to write a guest post about this (or anything else really) for my blog? your take on voting accessibility would be perfect for the 'essays from the heart' vibe. plus, i know my readers would eat up your mix of sass and civic engagement. let me know if you're interested!