How Can Citizens Participate in Democracy Between Elections?
Civics Crash Course Lesson 3
Democracy, fundamentally, is the rule of the people. But what does ‘the people ruling’ look like in practice? Citizens voting for other citizens to serve as representatives in government - that’s the main way popular sovereignty manifests in the United States. Voting is, in fact, the most common method of democratic participation in our republic.
Our beloved nation would languish without citizens stepping up to run for office or stepping out to cast ballots. While taking part in elections is essential for our democracy to survive, the founders were keenly aware that our republic would require an involved, educated citizenry for our nation to thrive.
In Thomas Jefferson’s 1784 Notes on the State of Virginia, he wrote:
In every government on earth is some trace of human weakness,
some germ of corruption and degeneracy, which cunning will discover,
and wickedness insensibly open, cultivate, and improve. Every
government degenerates when trusted to the rulers of the people alone.
Fortunately, suffrage is not the only option for the body politic to exercise supreme power in our republic. There is a whole continuum of options beyond election cycles that range from
- individual acts as private citizens to
- collective actions when we coordinate with others
Some people enjoy the sense of community and feeling of empowerment they gain when taking part in a collective action, but joining forces with others isn’t for everyone. Many Americans simply want to participate in a private or individual manner. You don’t have to get entangled in the political thicket to contribute.
Let’s explore options you have to up your citizenship game between elections in a manner that’s comfortable for you. We’ll discuss three top ways you can fulfill your civic duties in each of the following categories:
- individual non-political acts
- individual political acts
- collective actions
Individual Non-Political Acts
Three main ways you can advance democratic values without getting involved politically include:
- Getting more informed about issues and leaders
- Setting yourself up to vote for the next election
- Sharing your life experiences to build empathy with friends, families, and community members
Tune In and Read Up
A popular paraphrase that encapsulates the high value Thomas Jefferson placed on having an informed, engaged nation is: ‘An educated citizenry is a vital requisite for our survival as a free people.’ Our democracy relies on knowledgeable citizens making wise decisions. Yet most Americans stop following political news once elections are over. 1
Meanwhile, critical news continues to break after the ballot boxes are packed away. The headlines are no longer filled with horse race journalism focusing on who’s winning and who’s losing. After Election Day, you can see what agenda elected officials pursue when they are not courting voters.
Instead of considering unreliable campaign promises, you can track whether your elected officials are following through and prioritizing policies that are salient to you. You may also increase your awareness of emerging issues, rising leaders, positive developments, and evidence-based solutions.
Follow these best practices to be news savvy and to avoid fake news:
- Commit each week to accessing at least twenty additional minutes of news with supportive details from reliable sources
- Verify news through valid, nonpartisan fact checking sites
- Seek news directly instead of relying on social media algorithms
- Look for news reporting rather than opinion pieces
Election Engine Tune Up
Between elections, some citizens are at risk of being removed from voter registration rolls. Some states have policies that remove registration for voters who:
- haven’t cast ballots recently
- no longer appear to live at their registered address
- appear to be registered in multiple locations
- have certain judicial sanctions
Furthermore, states sometimes make changes in election laws that you need to know in order to be prepared to vote when the time comes. Common adjustments include
- new voter ID requirements
- altered polling locations and hours
- changes to voting methods (e.g., absentee or early voting)
To make sure your opportunity to vote doesn’t fall through the cracks, cruise through the Voter Journey Map (VJM) at us.vote to generate your own personalized voter preparation checklist. Then share it! Passing on the VJM to a friend is an easy and effective good-citizenship deed of the day.
The Contact Hypothesis
Sometimes the public engages around issues very broadly as policy when, for many people, these issues have a very direct personal impact. One person’s theoretical policy is another person’s lived experience. Many Americans are currently deeply affected by government practices around:
- Climate Change
- Deportations
- Religious Expression
- LGBT Rights
- Housing Access
- Employment Prospects
- Health Care Access
And more…
If governmental actions or policy proposals hit close to home, share your perspective with people you trust. Have heartfelt conversations about how your life is affected whether the impact is positive or negative, hopeful or frightening. When we humanize abstract concepts, people connect to each other’s experiences in a deeply meaningful way that builds understanding.
The key to creating empathy is through genuine conversation, not cantankerous debate or angry declarations.
- When people are confrontational, others tend to become avoidant or defensive instead of listening, considering, and engaging
- Debates often cause people to become more entrenched in their views - a phenomenon political scientists call “group polarization”
If you don’t want to be involved in the political fray and seek to contribute to civil discourse, increased interpersonal contact is a constructive strategy to employ as an engaged citizen of a pluralist republic.2
Individual Political Actions
If you want to move from the personal to the political sphere, there are effective ways to participate in our democracy on your own without joining a group.
These pathways include:
- Contacting your elected representatives
- Targeting your economic choices
- Interfacing with the government during public commentary periods on proposed regulations
You’ve Got Mail
Your elected and appointed leaders are responsible for making, executing, and interpreting the law. But a significant part of their positions also involve constituency service and casework. They are there to address your needs and concerns.
Even if you only reach a staff member or get an automated response when you reach out, government offices typically log communications in a constituent-management system. Your elected leaders will be informed about the type and volume of public input their office receives.
To be most effective:
- Be original and personal
- On calls: Speak from your own experience instead of reading a generic script
- In writing: Craft your own letter/email instead of sending a form letter
- Identify yourself as a voter living in their district
- Contact from constituents has a higher value
Even when leaders share your views, they may not realize how much you care about a particular issue unless you communicate with them. A message from you may prompt them to take stronger action. Constituent contact can embolden a leader to stand firm.3
The Power of the Purse
Consumers’ economic choices - both deliberate and incidental - can be a guiding force for governmental actions.
Two financial tools at your disposal are boycotts and buycotts. You can:
- boycott, or refuse to buy goods/services from companies that support government policies
- which don’t align with your political values
- buycott, or deliberately buy goods/services from companies that support government policies which align with your political values
Beyond marketplace actions, citizens can also influence leadership choices through campaign donations.
Weigh in on Rules and Regulations
Federal policies are typically shaped by “issue networks” - loose associations of:
- interest groups
- congressional committees and
- the federal bureaucracy
Each of these entities are points of entry for civic involvement. The bureaucracy may be more responsive to citizen participation than the public expects. Indeed, it is worthwhile to interface with these government agencies and departments.
Congress frequently delegates power to agencies to make rules and regulations that have the weight of law. Some powerful examples of administrative laws include:
- setting air quality standards
- enforcing anti-discrimination laws in education
- approving vaccines
- screening for airport safety
- establishing food handling standards
When regulations are under construction, these proposed rules are published daily online in the Federal Register for the public to view and provide input. Government agencies and departments invite public comment, typically for thirty to sixty days before rules become formalized.
This commentary period is a crucial opportunity for citizens to participate in policy formulation. The most effective comments:
- go beyond statements of support of opposition
- explain the impact of a proposed rule
- include evidence and citations when possible
Agencies respond to relevant, specific comments before issuing a formalized rule. Failure to do so can be grounds for the public to challenge a rule in court.4
Collective Actions
Alongside individual actions, there are many opportunities for citizens to come together with their communities to make their voices heard. Three powerful options include:
- joining issue advocacy or political groups
- showing up for local meetings and rallies
- working on campaigns or even running for office yourself
Hone In Directly on Your Interests
One advantage that issue advocacy groups have over political party organizations is that they often are tailored to a single-issue focus such as
- environmental concerns
- business interests
- women’s rights
- religious freedom
Political parties focus on getting people into office, whereas issue advocacy groups aim to advance agendas regardless of who occupies an office.
If you interact with governmental officials through a political party, your specific priorities may be unclear because parties have vast platforms. When you join an interest group or issue advocacy organization, your agenda is conveyed more directly.
These organizations often offer:
- informational resources
- candidate scorecards
- bill summaries
- public forums
- direct lobbying
- networking
- memberships perks such as discounts
Showing Up is Half the Battle
Another useful collective action is attending local meetings. These gatherings can range from formal Board of Education sessions to informal rallies. Whether you join a town hall meeting or speak into a bullhorn on the street, you are likely to:
- increase your understanding of how different levels of government function
- gain opportunities to influence decisions
- feel a sense of shared purpose and community responsibility
Get Out the Vote (GOTV)
One final way you can participate between elections is by supporting candidates or preparing to run for office yourself. GOTV efforts can start months if not years before an election is held.
GOTV activities often include:
- hosting neighborhood coffees to get to know candidates
- helping citizens get set up to vote through registration, checking ID requirements, and finding
- polling places
- canvassing neighborhoods
- phone-banking
- writing postcards to voters
If you are ready for public service yourself, consider joining local boards, committees or advisory councils. You can have immediate influence on policies that affect daily life.
In sum, there are a plethora of ways to participate in democracy between elections - whether through one-time actions or ongoing involvement, big projects or short tasks, alone or in groups. You have the freedom to make choices about how and when you get involved.
That’s one of the beauties of living in a democracy.
Let’s not take it for granted.
(1) Jeffrey M. Jones, “Attention to Political News Slips Back to Typical Levels,” Gallup, March 27, 2024, https://news.gallup.com/poll/513128/attention-political-news-slips-back…
(2) Frances Stead Sellers, “Americans’ Views Flipped on Gay Rights. How Did Minds Change So Quickly?” Washington Post, June 7, 2019, https://www.washingtonpost.com/local/social-issues/americans-views-flip…
(3) Kathryn Schulz, “What Calling Congress Achieves,” The New Yorker, March 6, 2017, https://www.newyorker.com/magazine/2017/03/06/what-calling-congress-ach…
(4) Cary Coglianese, “Public Comment on Federal Regulations: Research on Current Practices and Recommendations to Improve Public Participation,” Administrative Conference of the United States, May 2013, https://www.regulations.gov/assets/files/Public-Comment-on-Federal-Regulations_Final.pdf