Why Environmentalists Don’t Vote

This November comes a day that will determine who will sit in the seats of Congress. There are numerous seats that are likely to flip, not to mention state and local elections occuring across the nation. With this being the first Congressional election since the overturning of Roe v. Wade, this November could bring our nation to its peak of political polarization. 

This issue of environmental protection, however, tends to be one that transcends the need for a protective political party, despite it being stereotypically supported by Democrats. Many Americans would be surprised to know how many Independent and Republican voters favor Congressional plans to tackle climate change. A survey from Hart Research polled over 5,700 voters from 19 House districts and found that 82% of voters support investments to modernize public transportation, rebuild roads, and improve drinking water infrastructure. Over 50% of those surveyed showed their support for other initiatives such as investments in clean energy. 33-66% of Republicans surveyed showed support for each initiative.

Despite these hopeful statistics, the chances of Congress actually passing drastic climate legislation are slim. Even though voters support such legislation, it is not at the top of their checklists. Because of this, our representatives are aware that whether or not they support pro-environment legislation makes no impact on their political career. Most Americans want to fight climate change, but not enough to let it become a top priority over other issues or affect who they vote for. Not yet. 

Voters who do list climate and the environment as a top voting priority, “environment-first voters”, are increasing in number. While polls from 2016 elections found only 2-6% of registered voters to prioritize the environment, 2020 election polls found that number jump to 14%. Despite this increase, there remains many more environmentalists out there who just don’t vote. And if environment-first voters don’t vote, their concerns are ignored.

In red states, there is are many environmentalists who never reach the polls. In Texas and Iowa, “deep red” states, the populations of seldom-voting environmentalists are more than triple of each state’s electoral margin in 2018. Meaning if all these people voted one way, they could flip their state. 

Who are these seldom-voting environmentalists, and how are they in such shockingly large numbers? The vast majority of LPEV, or Low Propensity Environmental Voters, are disproportionately:

• Young
• Women
• Asian American & Pacific Islander
• Hispanic

This same issue is also prevalent in purple states such as Pennsylvania, Arizona, North Carolina, Florida, and Georgia. If you are interested in the methodology behind these findings, visit this page from the Environmental Voter Project. 

Now it’s clear who these voters are and how ubiquitous they are across America: but why don’t they vote? There are many ways to answer this question, but one approach is particularly interesting.

Think about how you were told as a child to turn off the sink when brushing your teeth, ride a bike to school, turn the lights off when leaving a room, and partake in countless other lifestyle changes. Our society generally blames consumers for the destruction of our environment. Unlike other voter issues such as systemic racism, reproductive rights, or healthcare, which are addressed at a political level, the issue of the environment has historically been addressed at a personal level. In order to create change, the environment must be viewed as a political issue. People can opt to quit plastic bags, but when the government steps in to ban plastic bags, real change is made.

Americans have been conditioned to think of the environment as a personal issue. Why should an environment-first voter go to the polls if their main concern can only be addressed through personal lifestyle changes? The government can do what it wants, but heaven forbid I use a plastic water bottle. This is the way Americans have been taught for decades. This may be the reason why so many environmentalists don’t vote.

There are obviously other reasons and obstacles preventing Americans from participating in democracy. With this knowledge of potential LPEV voters hidden in every corner of the nation, people are working to identify and push these environmentalists to vote. 

The Environmental Voter Project has identified and communicated with over 8.6 million non- or seldom-voting environmentalists. Over 1 million of them now are considered “super voters”, trusted to consistently vote in federal, state, and local elections. Their goal is to create a block of consistent voters too significant for politicians to ignore. Through initiatives like this and others, environmental issues can become political issues. Environment-first voters could flip states and make a significant mark on this year’s midterm elections.

Earth lies in the hands of decision makers; and in the hands of its future lies a ballot.