The November 5, 2024 election will make a lasting impact on our country, this community, and on you. Your future health and well-being literally depends on your vote. Your vote gives you power to change what happens in your community, our state, and this country. Your vote influences decisions about everything from healthcare to the environment to reproductive rights, education, food access, and so much more. When you vote, you have a say in who makes decisions about the issues you care most about, that affect your loved ones and you. In fact, studies show that communities with greater voting opportunities tend to have longer, healthier lives (Countyrankings.com).
Yet, in 2020 one third of eligible voters in the U.S. did not cast a ballot and in 2022, more than half of eligible voters nationwide did not vote. In Sonoma County, barely half of registered voters cast their votes in the March 2024 primary election, representing only 43% of eligible voters here.
Voting and health equity are interdependent. People of color with low incomes, unstable housing, disabilities, and limited English speaking tend to face far more barriers to voting, so are less likely to vote. That means the specific interests and needs of black-indigenous-people of color are not adequately understood or taken into account by elected decision makers. But the health and well-being of these same groups of people often are most impacted by policy decisions.
Voting is a uniquely important pathway to reducing health disparities, especially disparities with roots in racial, structural, and political inequity. For those of us who seek change, we simply must exercise our power through voting to be heard. By doing so, we are collectively helping address long-standing health inequities by increasing civic participation and empowering communities to influence policies that improve health outcomes. For example, Health Action Together supports Measure I, also known as Our Kids Our Future, which expands access to early childhood education and health opportunities—an essential step toward improving early childhood health and well-being.
If you have questions and need more information about voting, visit the Sonoma County Registrar of Voters website or call 707.565.6800.