What is voter impact?
Voter impact is the difference you make at the ballot box on election day.
While every vote counts, your voter impact depends on three key variables:
1
The closeness of a race in a particular district or state.
The closer (or more competitive) a race is, the greater the impact of your individual vote on the outcome in that race.
2
The influence that a particular electoral outcome will have on local, state and federal policies and politics.
Elections can have massive consequences, like the overruling of Roe v. Wade. The more that vital policies will change based on who wins the election, the greater the impact of your vote.
3
The number of competitive and influential races you can vote in when you cast your ballot.
The greater the number of competitive and influential races you can affect, the greater your impact as a voter.
Everyone prioritizes their civic engagement differently.
Some of us are passionate about public policy and politics; some of us are not. Part of what makes our country special is that it makes room for – and celebrates – these differences. No matter our differences, as the League of Women Voters puts it, “the right to vote is one of the most basic promises of our democracy.”
In short, you don’t have to be a passionate social justice advocate to appreciate and consider the importance of your voter impact.
After all, your future home could determine the future House, whether your priority is knocking on doors or enjoying the outdoors.
Even if maximizing your voter impact isn’t important to you, consider that understanding your voter impact in a particular community gives you significant insight into the type of community it is (its culture, its values, its priorities), all of which are key factors, as you think about moving.
