Social Workers: The Time for Voter Registration Is Now
by Christina Cazanave, MSW
When many people talk about politics, the reactions are to prepare for a verbal battle or run in the opposite direction. Politics, politicians, and elections have become a contentious topic that many avoid. Yet, as social workers, we know the power in voting. Voting should be one of the greatest equalizers of our time. We can create healthier communities and force elected officials to pay attention to once-ignored neighborhoods. When communities vote together, elected officials begin to notice. They provide more resources and endorse policies that directly assist their constituents (Hylton et al., 2018). Voting also has personal benefits, including an increase in "civic health" or a feeling of self-worth (Kansas Civic Health Index, 2016, p. 6). This feeling of efficacy may improve a person's mental health, if just for a few moments.
Voting is a fundamental human right in our democracy. It increases self-advocacy and empowers us to use our voices. Yet, most unregistered voters are persons of color, low-income, less educated, and younger than registered voters (Hill et al., 2019). With constant reminders of the social injustices toward people of color, women, LGBTQIA people, disabled individuals, and immigrants, why are more people not voting?
Complicated registration rules, exact match laws, and voting disenfranchisement limit access to voting. Complicating matters is the fact that there are no federal mandates on voting. Instead, laws are created state by state. Some states have used voting suppression tactics, such as gerrymandering and decreasing the number of polling locations, to limit voter outcomes as a legal way to manipulate the results. These barriers limit the say of constituents, including our clients, me, and you.
Voting is a nonpartisan and ethical practice. It aligns with the professional principle that "social workers challenge social injustice" and "respect the inherent dignity and worth of the person" (NASW Code of Ethics, 2018). In 1993, the National Voter Registration Act legalized nonpartisan voter registration of social work clients (Voting is Social Work, n.d.). This act allows the profession to engage in voter registration. Social workers' ethical responsibility is to pave the way for all people to be agents of change. To do this, social workers are leading voter engagement, education, and mobilization activities with the assistance of the Voting is Social Work campaign.
The campaign provides talking points; evidence-based research on how to advocate; and the tools to engage students, clients, and colleagues. Within five minutes, using websites such as Vote.org or Turbovote.org, social workers can help check voter registration status, look up their state's voter registration laws, and most importantly, help others to register.
I challenge you! Educate yourself on how to help clients register to vote. Utilize websites such as Votingissocialwork.org, Vote411.org, or NASW to learn to do so safely and legally. Then, register three people to vote before election deadlines. Pay attention to voter suppression tactics, and engage civically by contacting your legislator. Remind yourself; voting registration is nonpartisan. It is not about who someone votes for but empowering the voices of all, specifically those who are often unheard or neglected.
References
Hylton, M., Smith, T., Powers, J., Ostrander, J., & Lane, S. (2018). The power of three: Infusing voter engagement in lower level BSW courses. Journal of Baccalaureate Social Work, 23(1), 213–229.
Hill, K. M., Lane, S. R., Powers, J., & Rhodes Smith, T. (2019). From the empire state to the north star state: Voter engagement in the 2016 election. Journal of Sociology & Social Welfare, 46(1), 91.
Kansas Civic Health Index. (2016). The Kansas civic health index. Kansas City Health Foundation, 22. https://kansashealth.org/resources/kansas-civil-health-index/
National Association of Social Workers. (2018). Code of ethics: Ethical principles. https://www.socialworkers.org/About/Ethics/Code-of-Ethics/Code-of-Ethics-English
Voting is Social Work. (n.d.). Social media toolkit. https://votingissocialwork.org/social-media-toolkit/
Christina Cazanave, MSW, is the Director of Field Education and Instructor of Undergraduate Social Work at Saint Leo University. She earned her master's at the University of Central Florida. Before becoming a faculty member, she worked as a social work practitioner for ten years, primarily with at-risk children and teens in the foster care and educational systems. Cazanave's concentration of studies includes macro social work for community and organizational change. Her focus includes initiatives within the social work profession to combat social injustices using advocacy and public policy.