Zeb LarsonI feel like I see a lot of older liberals talk about how voter apathy is the enemy and not gerrymandering or voter suppression. It fascinates me. Do they just not want to admit to themselves that the game is rigged? I vote in every single election, but I live in a heavily gerrymandered state that lives under one-party rule and have no illusions about how powerful my vote is.
Catherine Schmidt@Zeb_Larson being an “older liberal”, I know it is both. The percentage of Americans that vote in any elections is disgraceful. In the 2022 election only 49% of people voted in my county in Texas. Meaning 25% decided for the entire county who won.
@lillyfinch But what congressional district do you call in? Or state legislative districts? How competitive are they? Can the municipal races meaningfully exert political power? Here in Ohio, the state legislature was trying to block Cleveland from building bike lanes at one point because they just didn’t like it. And if everybody did show up, would they all be Democrats? It’s easily to fall into the trap of thinking that we’re the only ones on the sidelines.
Scott Jackson@Zeb_Larson @lillyfinch Some of these questions are self-reinforcing. The degree of electoral participation of your coalition is a pretty big factor in the district's competitiveness. And the historical competitiveness influences future campaign investment and attention from party hierarchies. The reason people emphasize getting out the vote is that it is the one factor that has the potential of changing the status quo. Causing a solid district to swing starts with a shift in turnout.
@scottmmjackson @Zeb_Larson Thanks. I am in Texas trying to at least, turn it purple. Gerrymandering is a real problem…and look what they just did to Harris county….but turn out is important as you know.
@lillyfinch @Zeb_Larson Originally from Houston myself. Had a political sign in my front yard set on fire as a kid and still have the burn scar from trying to put it out. It's been a long road to having any representation at all.