The Importance of Exercising (Your Right to Vote)

The early voting period for the recent Nov. 4 election kicked off a 12-month election season that will culminate with next November’s midterm elections. This election season includes the just-passed constitutional election, the March primaries and subsequent primary runoffs, the May local/school district elections, and the general/gubernatorial election next November, as well as any special elections that might be called to fill vacant seats between now and next November. Sound like a marathon? Perhaps.

Getting in shape for democracy

The phrase “exercising your rights” is an apt one. Much like our bodies, our rights, including the right to vote, are stronger and healthier when we exercise them. Even the rights America’s forefathers described as unalienable—life, liberty, and the pursuit of happiness—become weak when we do not vigorously pursue, or exercise, them, and voting was never even listed among those rights that can supposedly neither be taken nor given away.

When we think about the benefit of voting, we often begin and end with getting a particular candidate into office. While that is certainly one compelling benefit, it’s not the only one. Voting itself, as a communal activity, has its own benefits beyond electing our personal guy or gal into office. It communicates to our political leaders, to one another, and to ourselves that we care, that we are paying attention, and that we are willing to take action. This has a profound impact. It reminds our elected officials that they are elected by us to represent us—all of us.

When we vote together in large numbers, even if we don’t all vote alike, it provides a communal experience that helps bind us together as citizens. Finally, it helps us feel the pride that comes from knowing we have fully participated and are not part of the problem of disengagement.

Building a culture of participation

Exercising can be difficult at first; it is rarely convenient, and it is infinitely harder to maintain if the people around you don’t support a culture of exercise. Exercising your right to vote is no different. It would be unreasonable to expect someone walking in the gym for the first time or for the first time in a long time to have the same level of knowledge as the person who has been working out five days a week for years. The same is true for voters. Expecting ourselves to have a depth of knowledge about every candidate and proposition on the ballot before we are willing to go vote is not reasonable. Setting such a high bar, especially for a new or previously infrequent voter, creates far too high a barrier to action.

Another common bar to action is life itself. It seems like we all have longer to-do lists than we could ever get done, and there is always more being added. We have to make the choice to take the time to vote. If you wait until your schedule is free, it never will be! This is especially true if the people around you, the ones most likely to impact both your mentality and your schedule, don’t prioritize voting themselves.

Of course, the best outcome is having a group where you hold one another accountable for making it to the polls, but when you don’t have that, you have to make the commitment and carve out the time yourself. Trainers and other experienced fitness folks will tell you the most important part about going to the gym is the going itself. It’s that mindset that creates a habit or personal culture.

Make voting a healthy habit

Likewise, the most important part of voting is getting to the polls. You can’t let unrealistic prerequisites, like not having perfect knowledge on every race before you go, a busy schedule, or naysayers stop you. Creating a habit or personal culture of civic engagement is a huge goal in and of itself. It’s one worth celebrating—and one that will surely lead to even better engagement in the future.