• Celebrity
    • Daniel Kaluuya Digital Cover
    • Digital Cover Method Man
    • Digital Cover Zazie
    • Celebrity News
    • ‘Yes, Girl!’ Podcast
    • Entertainment
    • Black Celeb Couples
    • Celebrity Moms
    • Red Carpet
    • If Not For My Girls
  • Fashion
    • ESSENCE Fashion House 2022
    • Fashion News
    • Street Style
    • Accessories
    • Fashion Week
  • Beauty
    • Black Beauty Awards 2022
    • ESSENCE Hair Awards 2022
    • AVEENO Skin Health Startup Accelerator
    • Beauty News
    • Skin
    • Makeup
    • Nails
    • Girls United: Beautiful Possibilities
  • Hair
    • Hair News
    • Natural
    • Relaxed
    • Transitioning
    • Weave
    • 4C
  • Love
    • Love & Sex News
    • The Solve Podcast
    • Weddings
    • Parenting
    • Relationships
  • Lifestyle
    • Black History Month
    • ESSENCE Gift Guide 2022
    • ESSENCE + smartwater Live Well Challenge
    • Build Your Legacy 2022
    • Dream & Plan with Confidence Prudential
    • AMEX Platinum Travel
    • Homecoming Season 2022
    • Lifestyle News
    • Health & Wellness
    • ESSENCE Eats
    • Money & Career
    • Entrepreneurship
    • Travel
    • Food & Drink
    • Black Travel Guide
  • News
    • Paint The Polls Black
    • Sponsors Recognition Page 2022
    • Latest News
    • Raise Your Voice
    • Culture
    • Politics
  • Video
  • Festival
    • 2023 ESSENCE Festival Of Culture
    • 2023 ESSENCE Film Festival
    • 2022 Fest Videos
  • Events
    • 2023 ESSENCE Film Festival
    • 2022 Girls United Summit
    • 2022 ESSENCE Fashion House
    • 2022 Black Women In Hollywood
    • 2022 HOLLYWOOD HOUSE
    • 2022 Homecoming Season
    • Wellness House
    • She Got Now
    • Dear Black Men
    • I Am Speaking
    • Power Tools
  • Studios
  • Girls United

WHERE BLACK WOMEN COME FIRST

Every day we're serving Black women deeply. Come get a plate of goodness! Sign up for daily content and exclusive offers you'll love!

Your email is required.
Your email is in invalid format.
Confirm email is required.
Email did not match.
By clicking Sign Up, you agree to our Terms of Use and that you have read our Privacy Policy
Skip to content
SUBSCRIBE
  • MAGAZINE
  • NEWSLETTER
  • Celebrity
    • Daniel Kaluuya Digital Cover
    • Digital Cover Method Man
    • Digital Cover Zazie
    • Celebrity News
    • ‘Yes, Girl!’ Podcast
    • Entertainment
      • Paint The Polls Black
    • Black Celeb Couples
    • Celebrity Moms
    • Red Carpet
    • If Not For My Girls
  • Fashion
    • ESSENCE Fashion House 2022
    • Fashion News
    • Street Style
    • Accessories
    • Fashion Week
  • Beauty
    • Black Beauty Awards 2022
    • ESSENCE Hair Awards 2022
    • AVEENO Skin Health Startup Accelerator
    • Beauty News
    • Skin
    • Makeup
    • Nails
    • Girls United: Beautiful Possibilities
  • Hair
    • Hair News
    • Natural
    • Relaxed
    • Transitioning
    • Weave
    • 4C
  • Love
    • Love & Sex News
    • The Solve Podcast
    • Weddings
    • Parenting
    • Relationships
  • Lifestyle
    • Black History Month
    • ESSENCE Gift Guide 2022
    • ESSENCE + smartwater Live Well Challenge
    • Build Your Legacy 2022
    • Dream & Plan with Confidence Prudential
    • AMEX Platinum Travel
    • Homecoming Season 2022
    • Lifestyle News
    • Health & Wellness
    • ESSENCE Eats
    • Money & Career
    • Entrepreneurship
    • Travel
    • Food & Drink
    • Black Travel Guide
  • News
    • Paint The Polls Black
    • Sponsors Recognition Page 2022
    • Latest News
    • Raise Your Voice
    • Culture
    • Politics
  • Video
  • Festival
    • 2023 ESSENCE Festival Of Culture
    • 2023 ESSENCE Film Festival
    • 2022 Fest Videos
  • Events
    • 2023 ESSENCE Film Festival
    • 2022 Girls United Summit
    • 2022 ESSENCE Fashion House
    • 2022 Black Women In Hollywood
    • 2022 HOLLYWOOD HOUSE
    • 2022 Homecoming Season
    • Wellness House
    • She Got Now
    • Dear Black Men
    • I Am Speaking
    • Power Tools
  • Studios
  • Girls United
Home · News

Your Vote Is Your Voice This Election

With Ebola, ISIS, and voter ID laws among government issues, Daniella Gibbs Léger explains why your vote is essential in this year's elections.
Your Vote Is Your Voice This Election
By Daniella Gibbs Léger · Updated October 27, 2020

Ah, fall. This time of year brings cooler weathers, overly-sweet flavored coffees, football, school and sweaters. This year is also an election year, so we are also treated to countless TV ads and chatter about what’s happening (or not) in Washington. Off year elections are an entirely different beast from presidential years. Turnout is much lower, the electorate is much older and less diverse in off years. For people like me who live and breathe politics, voting is a no-brainer, and I will vote in every single election, all the way down to my local advisory neighborhood commissioner. But I realize that not everyone is like me, and people lead very busy lives and maybe don’t have the time to read up on everything that is happening in politics. It is also very easy to get discouraged with the political process. It seems like the only thing that is coming out of Washington is gridlock, rancor and a disappointing football team. But there is a lot at stake this election. Control of the Senate hangs in the balance, and your vote could very well be the key to that. 

There’s a lot going on in the world. We are engaged in a battle against ISIS in Iraq and Syria. People in the US are (needlessly in my opinion) freaking out about an Ebola outbreak here, while thousands are dead or dying in West Africa where an outbreak is truly underway. And here at home, our politics seem as awful as ever. All of this provides a nice cover for the forces out there that are trying to undermine the election by either pouring in millions of dollars into local races or fighting to put up as many barriers to casting a ballot as possible.

If you’ve read any of my previous columns around voting, you know that I’m fairly passionate about it and that nothing gets me angrier than people who don’t vote or people who stand in the way of others voting. This year, as in past years, groups like Americans For Prosperity—heavily funded by the Koch Brothers—have been pushing all types of voter suppression tactics at the state level, from restrictive voter ID laws to cancelling early voting and same day registration. All this in the name of tackling “voter fraud”—an issue that truly doesn’t exist in this country.

The reality is that conservatives have a vested interest in keep people of color and young people away from the polls. I’ll let this republican Georgia state senator say it best. This was the reaction of Sen. Fran Millar to the announcement of an early voting location in a predominantly African American neighborhood: “I would prefer more educated voters than a greater increase in the number of voters. If you don’t believe this is an efort [SIC] to maximize Democratic votes pure and simple, then you are not a realist. This is a partisan stunt and I hope it can be stopped.”

You have to admire his honesty, I guess. He’s just putting into words what’s really behind many of these efforts. Regardless of where you fall on the ideological spectrum it’s important to make sure your voice is heard and that no matter what, you get to the polls. What people like the Koch Brothers hope is that you become discouraged, disenchanted and disgusted and decide that your vote doesn’t matter. They do things like send out fraudulent voter guides in North Carolina. They hope you won’t show up so they can continue to push their agenda of fighting against efforts to increase the minimum wage and fighting for more tax cuts for the wealthiest Americans. 

For some of you, early voting has already started. For the rest of you, you have just a few days before Election Day. Now is the time to learn about those local races and get educated on the issues. And for those who live in a state where the senate seat is also up, understand how important your vote is. Vote, tell your friends and family to vote, and make sure they follow thru. Don’t let the Koch Brothers of the world win.

Daniella Gibbs Léger, a former special assistant to President Obama, is the Senior Vice President for Communications and Strategy at the Center for American Progress. Follow her on Twitter @dgibber123

COMPANY INFORMATION
  • Our Company
  • Customer Service
  • Essence Ventures
  • Change Your Address
  • Contact Us
  • Job Opportunities
  • Internships
  • Media Kit
  • tag
SUBSCRIBE
  • Newsletters
  • Give a Gift of ESSENCE
  • Magazine Tablet Edition
FOLLOW US
MORE ON ESSENCE
  • Home
  • Love
  • Celebrity
  • Beauty
  • Hair
  • Fashion
  • ESSENCE festival

ESSENCE.com is part of ESSENCE Communications, Inc.

Essence may receive compensation for some links to products and services on this website. Offers may be subject to change without notice.

©2023 ESSENCE Communications Inc. All Rights Reserved. | Privacy Policy | Terms of Use | Essence.com Advertising Terms

Get The ESSENCE Newsletter and
Special Offers delivered to your inbox

By clicking Sign Up, you agree to our Terms of Use and Privacy Policy.

Get The ESSENCE Magazine
by subscribing below
subscribe now