Democracy doesn't end on Election Day

Now’s not the time to tune out — nor to take our newly elected leaders at their word.

Earlier this year, the Pew Research Center reported that a majority of Americans felt worn out by political coverage. That’s a feeling we can all understand.

With a deeply divisive election behind us and the holidays ahead, taking a little break is OK. But democracy doesn’t end on Election Day. Now’s not the time to tune out completely — nor is it time to simply take our newly elected leaders at their word.

Whether we’re filled with loathing and hopelessness or relief and optimism, it’s important to acknowledge those feelings and process what we’re experiencing. This includes contemplating the ways that we can respond to what is happening around us.

The bottom line is that we’re not powerless. Elected leaders work for us, whether we voted for them or not. We have the power and the duty to hold all of them accountable. We simply cannot stop showing up.

Beyond our votes, let’s also commit to elevating the policies and actions we want to see from the folks who will be representing us. We should take time to learn more about them and their values.

We can reach out to their staff to offer our congratulations and request meetings to communicate our concerns as constituents. Over time, our presence can build relationships based on mutual respect and trust.

This may all seem simplistic, but it’s something I’ve been doing for years with RESULTS, a non-partisan grassroots network of everyday people advocating for policy decisions that will bring an end to poverty.

Among our interactions with Congressional offices, we’ve been able to build critical support among Democrats, Republicans, and Independents alike for legislation combating hunger, homelessness, and disease.

I know how unglamorous the grit work of civic engagement can be. Even during the most challenging moments, though, I never lost faith in the absolute necessity of the work we do.

The fate of governance in our country is more than the outcome of any one race. The real litmus test here is engagement.

There’s too much on the line for any of us to dig in our heels or throw our hands in the air now that we’ve cast our ballots. If you’re still worn out by the election, rest so that you can come back reinvigorated. And if the people you voted for won, don’t be lulled into complacency thinking that elected officials will always make decisions with your best interests at heart.

We have more work to do, and it takes all of us to keep our democracy strong.

This blog post was originally published by OtherWords, a project of the Institute for Policy Studies.