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The Power of Your Vote

Engaging in the democratic process

Introduction

Every four years, we find ourselves in the midst of an intense and exciting endeavor: deciding who will represent us in the White House as our president. Whether the candidate is a Democrat, a Republican or an independent, the opportunity to vote and actively engage in the democratic process is a powerful and meaningful choice that every American citizen is privileged to have.

Choosing Your Candidate

So how do we decide who the most ethical, qualified and decent candidate is to receive our vote? If you are an enduring and diligent follower of politics, you may look beyond the news websites and 24-hour cable networks and instead do thorough background research on each candidate themselves. You will evaluate their track record of leadership initiatives and community service, read their publications on policy and attend or review their town hall events. However, for most of us, obtaining a sense of a candidate’s credentials is somewhat of a delicate game shaped by political identity, messaging, reputation, endorsements or plain favorite color.

The Psychology behind How We Vote

Social science and political psychology demonstrate that voters use different perceptual heuristics when considering which candidate is most qualified to fulfill the highly-coveted seat in the Oval Office. Particularly in locations where group identity carries great value such as party, race, ethnicity or gender attract and immerse potential supporters deeply into a partisan news and social media-damming echo chamber.

Cultural Voting

Cultural voting can often overlap with what is culturally certain for us. “For many Americans,” writes Time, “the fundamental divide in our country today…” trumps traditional aspects of social class, instead privileging cultural identity as an influencing factor. These different population divisions give hope to those like medical professionals who study health disparities produced by societal factors, greater import within tailored-out voters and a resounding noise to swing voters hoping for particular results on the economy, criminal justice reform or climate change.

Conclusion

On Election Day, the decision to vote for a candidate or not transform the media’s visible people into actors of immense significance. In our troubling world, having the conceivable impact on such a vital decision seems nearly unfeasible, nonetheless; there is no question that meetings with politicians through town hall-like assemblies, active gender group activism work or volunteering does significantly impact the voting process. The Art of Choosing: Decoding Elections a deeply satisfying experience that thrives on active participation, values’ alignment, and optimism of the democratic project.