Election Day!
Hello!
Today's election day. It's a super important day. Why? Because if you're eligible to vote, doing so has a direct impact on outcomes for our country. You can argue that your vote is insignificant, but that's not true. It's important that we raise our voices to advocate for the change we wish to see in our country. Our vote holds those we put in power accountable. Vote to give voice to yourself, and more importantly, to those whose voices are diminished by the society and systems we live in.
Let me break down how voting can directly impact at each of these levels:
1) Individual: Voting can impact you directly as an individual. Whether this is through putting your voice towards policy that impacts you or the empowerment and agency you gain by utilizing your voice and knowing that it is heard.
2) Interpersonal: Voting is important at an interpersonal level. Most of us talk and share experiences and viewpoints with those closest to us. This sharing of ideas, discussion, and even debates that happens is important towards developing our own view of things. This also includes our own various cultural contexts. When we vote, we vote with these contexts in mind.
3) Organizational: Voting impacts organizations. This can be on a business end, with voting directly impacting businesses both large and small on their processes, or with something like a school board election, changing the layout and decisions made for an entire school district. Various other institutions such as faith-based organizations and healthcare administrations are also affected.
4) Community: Communities are affected by voting. On many of our ballots this year, we have local measures, propositions, and candidates to vote on. Voting on land use ordinances, who we want on city council, or local taxes has a direct impact on our lives, the lives of other community members, and of businesses in the area to name a few. When we vote on local things, we are directly buying into our communities, and in general, that improves community health.
5) Public Policy: As mentioned before, voting on public policy has implications for yourself and for others. We vote on policy at many levels- local, state, national. At each of these levels, policy can have an impact at all levels of the Social-Ecological model. By buying in to voting on measures and candidates at each level, you are directly involving yourself in local, state, and national processes. While a local vote may seem like it has more immediate effects whereas a national vote may have more of a downstream effect, voting at all levels is important and meaningful.
That's my breakdown. This was simply my quick and dirty analysis and viewpoints. I don't believe it's perfect, and it may not be entirely accurate. I would appreciate comments on how you feel that voting can have an impact at all levels of the Social-Ecological Model. My experiences and viewpoints might be different than yours, and I would love to have a discussion with you about this topic! If you're interested in having that discussion, please comment! Regardless, I feel that voting is a public health issue, and it's an especially important one to buy into.
Lastly, I read something a while ago that stuck with me in message if not in exact quotes. For the life of me, I can't find it again (which is the most annoying feeling), but the general idea is this:
When you vote, think about how those who might not be as privileged or are disenfranchised in various ways might vote, and endeavor to vote in a way that matches. We exercise a lot of power when we vote. Too often, those with the most power and influence face the least barriers to exercising this power. This can be seen in voter ID laws that target those who are poor or racial minorities, or targeted disenfranchisement through policy or practice as we've seen some of in Georgia (https://www.ajc.com/news/state--regional-govt--politics/georgia-settles-federal-lawsuit-alleging-blocked-thousands-minority-voters/4M2dMAHDRvC8fLYoV01fxN/) or Alabama(https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=rHFOwlMCdto). These are only a few of the places and ways less-privileged voters have been disenfranchised. So when you vote, try and vote in a way that gives power and agency back to folks who don't have it.
#thisispublichealth
Today's election day. It's a super important day. Why? Because if you're eligible to vote, doing so has a direct impact on outcomes for our country. You can argue that your vote is insignificant, but that's not true. It's important that we raise our voices to advocate for the change we wish to see in our country. Our vote holds those we put in power accountable. Vote to give voice to yourself, and more importantly, to those whose voices are diminished by the society and systems we live in.
PUBLIC HEALTH ALERT
Coming from a public health background, I find even more importance in voting. I feel that the health of our nation can be measured by the proportion of individuals who give their voice towards creating the system that is our democracy. Through voting we decide on important initiatives that have ramifications at all levels. Here's a map of a social-ecological model of society.Let me break down how voting can directly impact at each of these levels:
1) Individual: Voting can impact you directly as an individual. Whether this is through putting your voice towards policy that impacts you or the empowerment and agency you gain by utilizing your voice and knowing that it is heard.
2) Interpersonal: Voting is important at an interpersonal level. Most of us talk and share experiences and viewpoints with those closest to us. This sharing of ideas, discussion, and even debates that happens is important towards developing our own view of things. This also includes our own various cultural contexts. When we vote, we vote with these contexts in mind.
3) Organizational: Voting impacts organizations. This can be on a business end, with voting directly impacting businesses both large and small on their processes, or with something like a school board election, changing the layout and decisions made for an entire school district. Various other institutions such as faith-based organizations and healthcare administrations are also affected.
4) Community: Communities are affected by voting. On many of our ballots this year, we have local measures, propositions, and candidates to vote on. Voting on land use ordinances, who we want on city council, or local taxes has a direct impact on our lives, the lives of other community members, and of businesses in the area to name a few. When we vote on local things, we are directly buying into our communities, and in general, that improves community health.
5) Public Policy: As mentioned before, voting on public policy has implications for yourself and for others. We vote on policy at many levels- local, state, national. At each of these levels, policy can have an impact at all levels of the Social-Ecological model. By buying in to voting on measures and candidates at each level, you are directly involving yourself in local, state, and national processes. While a local vote may seem like it has more immediate effects whereas a national vote may have more of a downstream effect, voting at all levels is important and meaningful.
That's my breakdown. This was simply my quick and dirty analysis and viewpoints. I don't believe it's perfect, and it may not be entirely accurate. I would appreciate comments on how you feel that voting can have an impact at all levels of the Social-Ecological Model. My experiences and viewpoints might be different than yours, and I would love to have a discussion with you about this topic! If you're interested in having that discussion, please comment! Regardless, I feel that voting is a public health issue, and it's an especially important one to buy into.
Lastly, I read something a while ago that stuck with me in message if not in exact quotes. For the life of me, I can't find it again (which is the most annoying feeling), but the general idea is this:
When you vote, think about how those who might not be as privileged or are disenfranchised in various ways might vote, and endeavor to vote in a way that matches. We exercise a lot of power when we vote. Too often, those with the most power and influence face the least barriers to exercising this power. This can be seen in voter ID laws that target those who are poor or racial minorities, or targeted disenfranchisement through policy or practice as we've seen some of in Georgia (https://www.ajc.com/news/state--regional-govt--politics/georgia-settles-federal-lawsuit-alleging-blocked-thousands-minority-voters/4M2dMAHDRvC8fLYoV01fxN/) or Alabama(https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=rHFOwlMCdto). These are only a few of the places and ways less-privileged voters have been disenfranchised. So when you vote, try and vote in a way that gives power and agency back to folks who don't have it.
If you face trouble while voting, you can call 1-866-OUR-VOTE (1-866-687-8683). This is the number for an election protection hotline staffed with folks who can help you through any difficulties you might face with voting, and they are well versed in various state laws.
#thisispublichealth
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