Why Vote?
Every single ballot counts.
Your Vote Does Matter
It is understandable to feel like it doesn’t matter if you vote. One person, how can you make a difference? That’s exactly what powerful people want us to think! Do you know that in some recent elections; the outcome has been decided by hundreds of votes? The closest Congressional house election in 2024 was decided by only 187 votes!
In the 2024 Presidential election (these are always the higher voter turnout years) 63.9% of eligible voters actually voted! 90 million people did not take the time to vote! Think there is regret there? You bet there is!
Why Midterm Elections Matter
Midterm elections consistently draw fewer voters than presidential elections. Because 2026 is a midterm year, turnout is expected to be lower than in a general election. In 2022, only 46% of eligible voters nationwide cast ballots, though Florida performed slightly better at 53.8%. Even so, that means nearly half of eligible voters chose not to participate, effectively relinquishing their voice in shaping our government.
The November 3, 2026 election is widely regarded as a pivotal moment. Currently, the Republican Party holds the Presidency, the Senate, and the House of Representatives. However, these majorities are narrow. Many believe that strong voter participation could lead to a Democratic majority in Congress, which would significantly impact the direction of the current administration’s agenda.
If the Republican Party maintains the majority in Congress, this administration will continue to:
- Stop all DEI initiative
- Stop women’s right to choose
- Continue cuts to Medicare and Medicaid
- Advance further environmental rollbacks
- Advance further education rollbacks
- Increase ICE raids
- Provide millionaires, billionaires, and corporations with unfair tax breaks while everyday Americans pay a higher share
- Authorize or carry out attacks on foreign countries (noting that, under the law, only Congress is empowered to permit acts of war — such as the kidnapping of the President of Venezuela)
Why should our community specifically vote?
- Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. said: “Whatever affects one directly, affects all indirectly”. He was absolutely right; we all have to join together to fight the rich and powerful that try to beat us down and separate us. We have to care about each other and we must VOTE.
- To honor the lives of our ancestors who made many sacrifices, including loss of life, to obtain this basic human right TO VOTE.
- To make sure that the Black community is fully represented at all levels of government, from the school board to the White House. We can only do this if we VOTE.
- To make sure every vote counts. As you see above, some elections are won or lost by a few VOTES!
- To elect people who will work in and for our communities and who will advocate for initiatives that help advance the well-being of our families. If we sit back and do not VOTE, we give away our VOICE!