Power, Not Platitudes
» The election is in one week on Tuesday November 3rd.
To paraphrase George Orwell, are some votes more equal than others?
“Oh, but I’m not in a key district or state. My vote doesn’t matter. Why bother.”
That is completely 100% WRONG when it comes to climate action. We need everyone anywhere in support of climate action to vote!
This is not some “please vote” platitude. It’s about power: power for good, not bad.
Why vote and let everyone know we are climate action voters? Because we need to turn our three forms of power or P3 — moral power, people power, staying power — into political power. We must have power at the polls and we need for everyone, especially candidates, to perceive our strength. We must have the perception of our power match the reality of our power. We must not just win, we must elect champions.
We need you to let everyone know: “I’m A Climate Action Voter.” That’s why I urge you to copy the image below and share it far and wide.
We Already Have The Power
“If only we had power already.”
Don’t think we have power? As I explained in a previous post, in 2024 over 11 million environmental voters stayed home and Trump won because of it.
We have the same equation this election: Don’t vote, Trump wins. Pretty simple.
We have the power. We must use it.
Why Vote: What We Must Do In This 2026 Election
1. Repudiate Trump & Defeat All Republicans
In an earlier post I made my position quite clear. In these midterms we must defeat all Republicans. We need both chambers of Congress to be run by the Democrats to repudiate Trump and thwart and roll back his anti-climate insanity and all his other harmful policies. More than stopping bad stuff, we need them to go on the offensive.
The bigger the turnout for democratic candidates up and down the ballot all over the country, the bigger the repudiation of Trump. A vote for any Democrat anywhere is a repudiation of Trump.
Did I mention we need to repudiate Trump? Well, we do — for the sake of our country and the climate.
2. Pay Special Attention to Swing Races
Want needed change? Elected leaders have the power to enact much of the change we need. To get anywhere right now and for the foreseeable future we need to elect enough Democrats to have majorities in both chambers at the federal level, i.e. the House and the Senate, as well as in state legislatures.
Electing Democrats doesn’t ensure we will get the change we need, but it’s a start.
So to get majorities we must pay some special attention to close races or swing races.
Are you in a state or district with a close race? Then you really need to vote.
3. Show Up Everywhere to Show Our Strength
All the attention close races draw can lead us to think that votes in races that are not close don’t matter as much. “If it’s a blowout, why bother?” the thinking goes. State and local races can also be given short shrift by the electorate, as if they’re not important.
Not true.
When it comes to climate action, every vote matters, no matter what the race.
We’re not just about electoral majorities. We’re about overcoming climate change by creating a just and prosperous sustainability that enhances wellbeing for everyone and everything. We’re not just about stopping bad stuff. We’re about creating good stuff. We’ve got lots of work to do after November 3. We need lots of Climate Champions to do it.
“Safe” Races — With House and Senate races our strength must persuade candidates in the general election that they must be climate champions — including in so-called “safe” races. If they aren’t, then when they are up for reelection in 2028 and beyond we must support a primary challenge by a climate champion (maybe even you!). In other words, every member of Congress needs to know we will primary climate wimps in “non-competitive” races. Bottom line: Climate Champions in; climate wimps out.
Presidential Races — In 2028, not only can we show we are the difference between winning and losing in swing states, we can also show our strength across the nation, letting presidential candidates know our total political strength. This includes our strength in electing champions in Congress that an Administration must work with.
Local and state races — There is almost no elected position in this country that can’t provide leadership on climate action. We need pro-climate policies at every level and by every branch of government. To get our policies enacted we need champions at every level. Climate Champions in; climate wimps out.
Your Vote
First, have you already voted early? If so, great!
Do you plan to vote early?
If you are mailing in your ballot, make sure it will arrive in time.
If you are dropping off your ballot early, make sure you know where to do that.
If you aren’t voting early, do you have a plan to vote on Tuesday Nov 3, one week from today?
Have you registered and have you checked your registration?
Do you know where to vote and the hours your place to vote will be open?
Do you know if you need any documentation or form of identification?
Do you know when you will vote and have you made any needed arrangements so you can vote?
Encouraging Pro-Climate-Action Folks to Vote
Please encourage pro-climate-action family and friends to vote. Help them understand that every vote anywhere is important. Help them with their plan to vote. Give them a ride if they need one.
Encouraging and helping pro-climate-action family and friends is the most important thing you can do besides voting yourself.
But shouldn’t we encourage everyone to vote? For those of us in The Climate Movement, that’s not our job. So I give you permission to not encourage folks you know who will vote for opponents of climate action.
Besides encouraging family and friends who are on our side, here are some other ways you can help.
Environmental Voter Project — They have identified low-intensity environmental voters in key races who you can be in touch with.
Indivisible’s Neighbor2Neighbor project — They will help you talk to your neighbors who are Democrats. They will send you a list of 10 Democratic households nearby, a short script, best practices, and an optional printout to leave behind. Hearing from a neighbor is twice as effective as traditional canvassing.
Other groups are also helping with getting out the vote, like Y.E.C.A or Young Evangelicals For Climate Action. They have their own resources and volunteer efforts.
Finally, again, let everyone know you are a Climate Action Voter by using the image above. Perception is power. We have the power. We must exercise that power by voting and helping others on our side to vote. And we must help everyone know we have the power, power for good.
If you are new here, check out our Intro Series. If you like this post, please “like,” comment and share/restack. And thanks for all you’re doing.