With elections nearing, many Americans have concerns that go deeper than a candidate to vote for. Many worry they may not have the opportunity to vote at all — while others are concerned with all the recent hurdles proposed that would make voting a challenge.
In this current administration, discrimination aimed at LGBTQ+ community members and other oppressed groups (women and people of color) has become emboldened, and voting has been added to the list of concerns regarding the repeal of rights we once thought were inalienable.
• What you can do to be involved in the here and now
In this article we’re going to explore voting history and individuals who are taking action. Before we plunge into that important part of the story, take note of these actionable details in the following paragraphs.
If you want to make change and you’re interested in working the polls in North Carolina, fill out the interest form on the North Carolina State Board of Elections website or apply directly through your county board of elections office.
If you’re interested in working the polls in South Carolina, contact your local county board of voter registration and elections by visiting SC Votes Poll Manager Application.
If you’re interested in engaging community members via phone or phone banks, ZipRecruiter offers many paid options.
For those who literally want to hit the ground running by putting their efforts into canvassing neighborhoods in North Carolina, signing up for this paid position is easy. South Carolina residents can also participate via completing a brief application for canvassing work in their neighborhoods.
At home — if you want to spread awareness and bring attention to your candidate of choice by using yard signs on your property, check out the social media and websites for the candidates you want to support and request yard signs. Additionally, larger and more extravagant political yard signs are available for sale from sites like eBay, Etsy, Amazon and Facebook Marketplace. While the money isn’t always going directly to a particular campaign, the statement made by oversized signage with color photos of candidates is undeniable.
• Our voting history
Now let’s take a look back: voting has been the backbone of Democracy for almost as long as the United States has existed — since July 4, 1776, though all citizens weren’t given the right to participate in the process. Black people were enslaved and not allowed to vote; women were also denied the right to participate in the electoral process. Changing this, affording all Americans the option to participate in selecting their own leadership and representation via local and federal elections, was only facilitated through the addition of constitutional amendments.
Ratified in 1870, the 15th Amendment established that voting rights could not be denied to men on the basis of race. Despite this constitutional protection, African American men continued to face significant barriers to voting. State and local governments used discriminatory measures such as poll taxes, literacy tests, grandfather clauses, restrictive laws and intimidation to prevent many Black citizens from exercising their right to vote.
With the addition of the 19th Amendment in 1920, women gained the right to vote. However, the amendment did not grant all women the right to vote; numerous barriers remained for women of color and lower-income women that persisted into the late 20th century. However, it did prohibit denying the right to vote “on account of sex.”
Moving along to 1964, the 24th Amendment helped remove a major barrier to voting by banning poll taxes in federal elections. The Voting Rights Act of 1965 further strengthened voting protections by establishing federal measures designed to enforce constitutional voting rights and combat racial discrimination at the polls. Together, these actions expanded federal protections for eligible voters and helped ensure greater access to the electoral process.
• Voting in 21st century America
Fast forward more than 60 years later, many U.S. citizens are fearfully looking at returning to a time before 1920. This frightening prospect is buoyed by the most recent push for newly proposed legislation entitled The Save Act.
The Safeguard American Voter Eligibility (SAVE) Act, among other things, would restrict or limit anyone whose name does not match their birth certificate from voting. Read that again, let that sink in. Yes, you’ve got it, any trans person using their chosen name, any lesbian or gay married couple who have combined last names or have taken the last name of the other, and any straight woman who has taken her husband’s name will be impacted by this. And that’s just the tip of the iceberg. Redundant and needless to say, now more than ever might just be one of the most important times in American history for all Americans — particularly those with voting rights in jeopardy — to actively engage in the electoral process.
• Our community in action
Troy Aikens, a life coach and motivational speaker, shared his perspective on the importance of informed voting: “I will be researching candidates to see their stances on local issues as well as national themes. I am a Democrat but will vote Independent at times depending on the situation.”
“As a business owner, I’m keenly aware of what is happening in the marketplace and which candidates show up for me,” said Daniel Pentecost, a consultant and business owner. “I vote in primaries, directly engage my elected officials and expect them to listen. My yard at home on the West Side will have one or more candidate signs in it. I have [also] staffed my local polling location for candidates I believe in.”
“I have voted in every election since I turned 18,” confirmed social activist and change agent Kat Wright. “In the past, I have worked for my party, doing telephone calls, written correspondence and voter registration. I continue speaking to folks and encouraging everyone to vote. As an individual, change will be harder than it would be if we all worked together toward the same goal — inclusion, dignity and respect for all citizens.”
Across the North Carolina border, Sandra Hamilin, a retired postal worker living just outside of Columbia, South Carolina, has strong feelings about what’s happening in D.C. and the impact on voting and LGBTQ+ rights and liberties.
“Mostly, I’m just trying to impress upon my friends how important it is to vote,” Hamlin told us. “Vote and vote blue so that we can begin to get this country back to when we were progressing. This year in particular, my investment in the process and our collective need to return to being a more progressive nation has led to my decision of becoming a poll worker this election season.”
Though this is just a small sample of the opinions of a diverse group of LGBTQ+ individuals, one need not look far to recognize the concern in our communities and other marginalized groups about exercising and maintaining their right to vote and electing representatives who respect the rights and dignity of all citizens.
• Why involvement matters
As new voting laws and requirements continue to reshape how Americans participate in elections, understanding those changes has become an increasingly important part of civic engagement. For communities that have historically encountered barriers at the ballot box, voting can represent far more than choosing a name on a ballot. It can be an affirmation of visibility, voice and the right to participate in decisions that directly affect their lives.
For LGBTQ+ voters, those decisions can reach into nearly every aspect of daily life — from healthcare and education to employment protections, family rights, public accommodations and personal safety. For those living at the intersections of race, gender, sexual orientation and economic status, the stakes can feel particularly personal.
American history demonstrates that access to the ballot box has expanded through generations of advocacy, organizing and persistence. It also demonstrates why understanding voting rights — and changes to them — remains important.
Perhaps that is where empowerment begins: not simply with casting a ballot, but with recognizing the power of having a voice. LGBTQ+ people have a long history of turning visibility into advocacy and advocacy into change. Registering, becoming informed, volunteering, organizing and voting are all ways community members can participate in the democratic process.
For communities whose voices have too often been challenged, dismissed or left unheard, showing up is itself a declaration: We are here. We are paying attention. And our voices belong in the conversation.
This story is brought to you by Rosedale Health and Wellness and Dudley’s Place.
