“Elections have consequences,” as former President Barack Obama famously told Republican members of Congress in 2009. Those words ring true today for many Americans who are looking to their elected officials to lead them out of a global health crisis and centuries of systemic racial and economic inequality. 

The 2016 Presidential race was close. Of the over 120 million votes cast, Donald Trump’s election ultimately came down to nearly 107,000 votes in three states. And in six states, the margin between votes cast for Trump and Hillary Clinton was less than 2 percent. Although the results were in Trump’s favor, low voter turnout was a key factor in the outcome. According to the United States Election Project, nearly 47 percent of eligible voters didn’t participate in the election.

As we approach the 2020 election, the stakes are higher than ever. We spoke with Becky Carroll, Founder, President, and CEO of C-Strategies, a Chicago-based strategic and public affairs firm about the importance of voting in 2020. Carroll has been involved in politics since she was 12-years-old, and has held key strategic positions with several high-profile campaigns. She says that if you’re thinking about sitting this election out, you can look back at 2016 to understand why that is a bad idea. Carroll notes that while there were voter suppression efforts and potential Russian interference in the last election, votes clearly mattered, particularly in swing states like Wisconsin, Michigan, and Pennsylvania. “At the end of the day, the reason we have Trump is because people stayed home,” she says. 

A lot is on the line this time around, including judicial appointments to the Supreme Court and federal courts around the country. According to Carroll, these decisions have the potential to threaten civil rights, immigration, and women’s reproductive rights for generations to come. ”There are forces who are looking to maintain a status quo that is not diverse and inclusive, and that does not value vulnerable populations in this country,” she says. 

All of the noise and name-calling surrounding the election cycle can make it very easy to get frustrated. But Carroll warns that by not voting, you are empowering others who may not reflect your values to make decisions on your behalf. And the implications extend beyond the occupant of the Oval Office. Although the Presidential election will be top of mind for most Americans in 2020, Carroll suggests that local elections happening all around the country can have an even greater impact on our daily lives. Local elected officials are passing laws and deciding whether your tax dollars are spent on education or infrastructure, making it critical to support someone who is going to best reflect your values. 

We don’t always make a connection to the outcome of voting or not voting, but Carroll says we all bear some responsibility for the laws that are put in place by our elected officials. She points to Florida’s Stand Your Ground law, which allows a person to defend themselves against perceived threats, even by use of deadly force. The law allowed George Zimmerman to be acquitted for the fatal shooting of Trayvon Martin.  But Carroll is not all doom and gloom. She says that one silver lining of the past four years is that issues of inequality have bubbled up to the surface, causing more people to open their eyes to the injustice that has been happening under their noses. “I think we’re in a moment when people are starting to recognize white privilege and systemic racism. Most people think they aren’t racist, but they don’t recognize unconscious bias. It’s all wrapped in together, and people are starting to unpack that now,” she says.

If you aren’t familiar with all of the names on the ballot, Carroll suggests turning to organizations you trust to see who they support before going to the polls. “It’s kind of like a cheat sheet for voting,” she says. 

Carroll stresses that the right to vote, regardless of skin color, income, or education level, is something that sets the United States apart from much of the rest of the world. She encourages everyone, regardless of party affiliation, to show up at the polls in November. “The [voting] numbers are out there to get us back on track, but not if people are going to stay at home,” she says.