Three Things We Can Do for Democracy Beyond Voting

This democracy of ours has some pretty special features, chief among them that we get a say in how we’re governed.

It’s baked into the very word democracy itself: demos means common people and kratos means power. But nobody really teaches us how we can utilize our democracy power beyond voting.

So here are three other things we can do to build the democracy - and the world - we want to live in.

One: Run for office!
If your first thought is, “That’s not for me, I’m just going to skip right on to Number Two on this list,” that’s a great sign that it is for you.

We’ve got a political class fit to bursting with people who were so fabulously confident that city council, state legislature, Congress needed THEM and ONLY them.

There are exceptions, of course, but most of those good politicians aren’t household names because they’ve got their heads down and sleeves rolled up doing the work, not playing for headlines.

Perhaps what those legislative bodies actually need are folks with a touch more humility, curiosity, compassion. Folks like you.

There are oodles of offices you can run for that won’t necessarily take all your time and stamina: Water or Planning Board, Election Warden, Parks Commissioners. The lists are long and varied!

So why not give your town clerk a call to find out what elected positions are vacant and when they’re next on the ballot. Doesn’t mean you’re going to run, just useful knowledge to think over.

Two: Thank politicians who are in office
More often than not, politicians hear from folks when they’re upset. It’s human nature. Who among us has called our wastewater treatment engineers to thank them for another winning day of sewage moving efficiently through the pipes.

(And if you are that person, 1,000 points to you!)

But if a city councilor, state senator, county commissioner, school board member does or says something you appreciate, do let them know.

It incentivizes them doing more of what you like, and it might be just the boost they need to stay in elected office when it can be draining, demoralizing, and even for some, dangerous to be a public servant.

Three: Build the world you want to live in
If you feel like politics is a bit reality TV these days, you wouldn’t be wrong. But just because that’s how others are acting doesn’t mean it’s how we need to act.

The world is moved forward by bills becoming law, yes. But it’s also moved forward by hundreds upon thousands of daily acts of decency, generosity, and grace.

The woman who let me merge in during today’s morning traffic. The fellow who helped put luggage in the overhead compartment for astranger. I was out gardening and someone I didn’t know walked by, stopped, and said, “This is just looking amazing; you’ve done such great work.”

It cost her nothing but a few seconds, and I’ll be carrying that kindness with me for months to come. I want to live in a world where we treat each other like that.

The engine of our democracy might be money, lobbyists, special interest. But the heart of our democracy is we common people putting our time towards making the world a little more decent each day.