Get Them to the Polls

Guest Opinion

About a third of Michiganders pick fall as their favorite season, and I’m definitely one of them. Oh sure, I love summer too, but often I’m too busy to get the most out of those sunny days. I will definitely make up for it in the fall. With a few exceptions, anything that you can do in August, you can still do well into October. Sure, the sun is out less, but so are the mosquitos. The air might get too chilly to swim, but the trails are just as lovely, and the streams just as sparkling. There is certainly no better time to go down a river than when the salmon are running. And of course…there’s the colors.

Even as the days shorten, I notice plenty of people are still out there, paddling, hunting, fishing, birding, biking, and stargazing. They’re still on the water, on trails, in the backwoods, and in their backyards. Clearly, there are a lot of folks who love being in nature in all seasons. This could be a huge untapped demographic in northern Michigan, with many in this “big tent” likely sharing values about caring for and protecting our environment.

This thought gets me revved up for another of my favorite fall things: voting. Call me a nerd, but if Election Day were a holiday, as it should be, it would be my favorite. I love a good sample ballot and learning as much as I can about what’s on it. I try to vote my values and want to support candidates who don’t shy from talking about environmental challenges and crises.

In a few weeks, I’ll be grabbing a voting buddy and heading to my precinct. And after exercising my right to vote, I will exercise my right to a cookie and proudly take a selfie wearing my “I Voted” sticker. (Hey, I did say nerd.)

Unfortunately, many like-minded people will likely sit it out on Nov. 3. As much as my neighbors cherish the nature around them, they may not always express that love by joining in the electoral process.

According to the Environmental Voter Project (EVP), roughly 11.2 million registered voters identified as environmentalists did not vote in the 2024 presidential election. That means that roughly half of registered U.S. voters who named climate change or other environmental issues as their number one concern, did not vote. It’s likely that even more will sit out the midterms next month (Environmental Voter Project 2023-24 Impact Report).

Fortunately, the EVP sees this rather depressing statistic as an opportunity to turn non-voters into voters, in a methodical long-term plan to create an environmental voting bloc that can’t be ignored. Using analytics, prediction models, and messaging based on the latest behavioral science, the EVP identifies millions of environmentalists who are registered to vote, then narrows these subjects down to only those who usually don’t vote or are unlikely to vote.

EVP volunteers then communicate (via text, calls, canvassing, writing, and ads) with these seldom or non-voters before every election—local, state, and national. They test their message effectiveness and continually update and optimize it to their specific audiences. Because the EV Project is non-partisan, political parties, issues, and candidates are not mentioned. Communication is focused on voting as a social norm and helping people make a concrete plan to vote.

According to EVP founder Nathaniel Stinnett, once someone votes for the first time, they’re much more likely to vote again in future elections, but you can’t change long-term habits by only talking to people in even numbered years. That’s why the EVP works year round, every year, checking voter records and regularly following up with subjects until they become “super voters” who consistently vote in every election, even the small ones.

Speaking of which, don’t overlook the importance of the small elections. Public service commissions, utility boards, permitting and zoning officials, school boards, and county commissions all have a role in energy, infrastructure, and environmental policy. Since piloting in 2015, the EVP has helped 2.2 million environmentally concerned citizens to reach the status of super voter and show up for all of it.

Sixty percent of adults in Michigan are now worried about climate change. Sixty-eight percent believe climate change will harm future generations (Yale Climate Opinion Maps 2025). Don’t forget that the same fossil fuels driving climate change pose other dangers as well, such as particulate air pollution, site water contamination, and risk of leaks or explosions. We have the technology, the know-how, and lots of great solutions to these problems, but no leaders who are willing to implement them. Experience has shown them that getting elected is easier if they don’t. It’s time to show them differently.

If you don’t have a plan to vote yet, for goodness sake, make one. Talk about it and, if able, help someone else to get there too. When you vote, flex it. Be loud and proud and show ’em how it’s done.

Cathye Williams is a local climate activist. She writes from the northern corner of Manistee County.

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