Why I Vote and Why You Should, Too

Writer Allison Babka wears a shirt that says "Join the rebellion" and an "I voted" sticker

On August 7, 2018, those of us in St. Louis, Missouri voted on a number of important issues and primary candidates. I'd posted the following to LinkedIn that evening:

I voted today.

I always become a little jazzed, a little proud and a little sad each time I walk into a polling place. I might write about that soon, but that's not the point at the moment.

Right now, as results are starting to come in, I just want to stress how vital voting is (and yes, I realize that I should have posted this before the polls closed). People have sacrificed a lot over the years to help us attain and maintain this right, and that battle still wages on. Vote to honor them, to honor those whose voices have been silenced and to honor those who have been harmed (and who could further be harmed) by bad policies. Vote to protect and elevate the marginalized and the vulnerable. Vote to make things better. Vote to contribute.

Primaries matter. Local elections matter. Start voting quality people into office today and then help them go even further. Play the long game while minimizing immediate harm. The work you put in now will pay off both in the immediate future and way, way down the line.

But you have to vote.

(When I vote, I try to wear things that remind me about why I'm filling in certain ovals on the ballot. In the photo with this post, I'm wearing a "Star Wars" "Rogue One" shirt that says "Join the rebellion.")