Undecided Voters Face Facts

Debunked propaganda spreads and confuses

It wouldn’t be an election year without a heavy emphasis on classic kitchen-table issues like a stable economy, access to healthcare, education and job creation. But the kitchen looks a little different this year. First and foremost, democracy itself is on the table. Add to that the current raft of burning issues like reproductive rights, gun violence, climate- driven disasters and the heavy toll that misinformation has taken on our society.

Photo by Manny Becerra on Unsplash

Even when propaganda is debunked, it spreads and confuses countless voters, some to the extent that they now identify as “double haters”, so named because they are not simply undecided but seriously dislike both presidential candidates. As you might expect, these are the folks who typically don’t bother to vote, and their numbers are growing.

Recent and credible polling shows that double haters now represent 19% of all eligible voters. Volunteers like me who reach out to help register voters should be braced for the challenge. While haters may not want to acknowledge that voting is a citizen’s right and responsibility, perhaps they could benefit from an appeal to their conscience during a pro-democracy conversation that could go something like this: 

• How does not voting work to your benefit?

• What will the election outcome mean for you and your loved ones?

• Will your children grow up with the same rights and opportunities you’ve had?

• How will your own parents fare if funding for key social safety nets take a hit?

• What if your town needs support and resources that aren’t readily available due to a downsized federal workforce and disinterested leadership?

Double haters might also need to hear a few facts about the true state of our union. Our economy is humming along and job creation is strong. This month, the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics reported that the labor market is “in a sweet spot.” Job growth in the first quarter of 2024 beat the 2019 pre-pandemic average by more than 100,000 jobs. 

More Americans have healthcare now than under any other president and the nation’s infrastructure is no longer just a buzzword but a bipartisan law that has invested billions of dollars in rural communities across the country. It has already delivered on affordable high-speed internet, safe roads and bridges, modern wastewater systems, clean drinking water, reliable and affordable electricity, and good paying jobs.

In short, volunteers definitely have their work cut out for them, but our sleeves are rolled up and we’re ready to engage with the ordinary undecideds as well as double haters.

Post submitted by Barbara Holzer, a volunteer with The Union.

Note: The views and opinions expressed by volunteer contributors are those of the authors and do not necessarily reflect the positions of The Union, a single-issue organization that welcomes all and is dedicated to protecting democracy.

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