Democracy is not a spectator sport

03 Dec 2024 Democracy is not a spectator sport

Reposted from LinkedIn with permission of the author

By Aimee Christian of Bristol’s Round Pond

November 7, 2024

I have never been particularly political. I have always taken my civic duty to vote seriously, but I must admit, I never really got involved in any other way. However, after the 2016 election, I realized that being involved was the civic duty and, as I saw the 2024 election looming, I felt a pull to figure out how I could have impact.

Everyone can agree that the 2024 Presidential election will be one for the history books. Disappointed with the first presidential debate, I watched as Joe Biden stepped down on July 21 with anxiety and relief in equal measure. Soon, I realized my feelings of anxiety were unfounded as I watched Kamala Harris bound onto the national stage with energy, coherent thought and joy. By the time she was named the democratic nominee, I knew what I needed to do. I felt a strong urge to leverage my skills to do whatever I could to help elect who I felt was the most qualified person for the job. So when I found myself in a position to take a career break to help save democracy, I did just that.

Here is what I learned:

• The power of community can not be overstated. During my time supporting the campaign, I worked in my county Democratic Headquarters, answering phones, distributing signs, writing letters to the editor and doing postcard campaigns as well as talking to constituents. Even though I have been a member of this community for decades, this campaign enabled me to connect more deeply and learn from the people around me which has been an invaluable gift. We all worked very hard to combat misinformation, educate and spread joy. It was a privilege to play a key role in campaigning in our split county during this election cycle.
• Local campaign work is hard and rewarding. Everybody focuses on the national campaign which is definitely important, but I learned that it is the local races and ensuring that everyone actually votes that really help to effect change. In the early part of the campaign, I spent weekends canvassing or doing phone banks to gather data and educate undecided voters on issues and policies. I found it rewarding but incredibly difficult to ensure I knew (and could speak on) the issues in a way that would be persuasive and non-divisive. It was exhausting and I only spent a few hours each week on the task! In contrast, the Get Out the Vote (GOTV) canvassing was positive and energizing as we knocked on doors and confirmed voting plans. In all circumstances, the local field directors who organized and trained all of us worked 12-14 hr days / 7 days a week during the entire campaign season. They were getting it DONE with an unbelievable level of dedication and I was so thankful to be part of their team.
• Do not underestimate the power of a yard sign! During the month of September, we ran out of Harris-Walz yard signs in our local office and had to turn people away daily until the supply was replenished. People LOVED the yard signs to help give them a feeling that they were doing something when everything seemed uncertain. Handing out yard signs to those who requested them was arguably one of the most important things I did during the election season because the ability to motivate and inspire a collective by a seemingly simple tactic should never be underestimated

By now, we know who was elected our next US president. As I listened to Kamala Harris give her concession speech yesterday on the steps of Howard University, I was so impressed by her continued message of hope. I wonder what she will do to continue her fight and look forward to following her progress. By the same token, I wonder what I will do now that the election is over and look forward to understanding what impact I will be able to have in my next chapter.

Heather Cox Richardson shared an interesting sentiment on her daily post on November 4, 2024 – “On November 5, we find out just how strong we are. We will each choose on which side of the historical ledger to record our names. On the one hand, we can stand with those throughout our history who maintained that some people were better than others and had the right to rule; on the other, we can list our names on the side of those from our past who defended democracy and, by doing so, guarantee that American democracy reaches into the future.” I am eternally grateful to have had the opportunity to try and have an impact in my beloved community.