Political Participation Gives You Power & Agency
Plato said, "One of the penalties for refusing to participate in politics is that you end up being governed by your inferiors"
Today is the final day of early voting in the Texas primary.
And something important is happening.
Turnout is at record levels.
For the first time since 2002, more Democrats have voted in the Texas primary than Republicans. No matter where you fall politically, that kind of participation matters. Engagement matters. Showing up matters.
When more people participate, democracy gets healthier. My friend, mentor and Harvard Professor Robert Putnam writes extensively about the benefits of civic participation. I’ve written extensively about him in the past.
That’s the USTomorrow lens.
When I zoom out and look at the long arc of civic life in Texas, I see something encouraging: people are paying attention again. They care. They are taking ownership of the direction of their communities.
That’s a good thing.
But let me switch hats for a moment.
When I put on my candidate hat for House District 47, record turnout creates both excitement and urgency.
Excitement — because engagement means voters are listening.
Urgency — because in HD-47 alone, there are still more than 20,000 eligible voters that have not yet voted.
Twenty thousand. In a race where about 25,000 voters will end up voting, that is a HUGE unknown factor in the outcome.
That’s not a statistic. That’s neighbors. That’s parents at pickup line. That’s young professionals. That’s veterans. That’s entrepreneurs. That’s people who care about Austin’s future but haven’t yet plugged into the system.
Democracy is not a spectator sport.
We’ve done what campaigns do.
Mailers have gone out.
Doors have been knocked.
Canvassers have walked neighborhoods.
Volunteers have made calls.
Data has been analyzed.
Neighborhood ambassadors have stepped up.
And digitally — we’ve leaned in.
One of our YouTube ads is approaching 200,000 views.
That sounds like a big number.
But think about your own daily scroll. How many videos do you fly past in seconds? How many messages do you barely register?
Attention today is fleeting.
Which means consistency matters.
Repetition matters.
Presence matters.
If we want to reach voters where they are — we have to meet them there. Over and over again.
Luckily, Mother Nature gave us a gift this weekend.
Blue skies. Great weather. The kind of weekend where you can knock every possible door and still feel grateful to be outside.
So that’s what we’re doing.
All gas, no brakes as Coach Sark likes to say.
Because participation doesn’t just happen. It’s built.
Here’s what I believe — whether I’m writing USTomorrow or running for office:
• High participation is healthy.
• Engagement strengthens institutions.
• Showing up changes outcomes.
And the more we build that muscle now, the stronger our country will be in the years ahead.
If you haven’t voted yet — today is the last day of early voting in Texas.
If you’ve already voted — thank you.
And if you believe in what we’re building in HD-47 and want to help keep the fuel in the rocket, you can visit the campaign website and chip in to help us finish strong. I want to keep our ads running all the way through the Tuesday night at 7 pm!
Because democracy only works when we power it.
See you at the polls.
— Joseph