Casting a vote for Self-Determination

The thing that comes to mind most often whenever the subject of civic engagement comes to the fore is jury duty and voting. Some despise one and take the other for granted, but for most voting is believed to be a critical part of what it means to be a good member of society. The pew center asserts that 69% of adults agree that voting is important in our society. Voting is seen as the hallmark of a good citizen, an active functioning member of the national state and local community. When we think of the political process or the electoral process most people may boil it down to the singular task of voting. Casting a ballot. Getting your “I voted Sticker”, from your respective poling location is a badge of honor to many people. Through the many years of participating in this process I have seen the proud faces of the good citizens of the whichever locale in which I was living at the time, walking to and from with their stickers proudly displayed. It seems most people wear that sticker all day. Now whether that is a demonstration of pride at having engaged in their civic duty or a deflection against the barrage of questioning “did you vote?” or some combination of the two is yet to be determined. But it is commonplace to see throngs of people rocking their “I voted stickers” on election day.

But what is voting? What does it mean to vote. Voting by definition of course is when we cast a ballot, or weigh in, raise a hand or signal by some means our support of or against a person process or thing. It is contributing our voice or our thoughts about a matter. We do it all the time. If you want pizza raise your hand… If you want burgers for raise your hand. If you are undecided raise, your hand, or if you have another suggestion raise your hand. In this imaginary example that occurs in households, college dorms, or office lunchrooms around the country, each person casts their vote for or against something. There are processes and decisions among groups of people large and small where we express ourselves via process casting a vote. Voting is a way we express our opinion, endorse or reject or decide some disposition or in response to some proposed action or decision. It’s a form of communication. Voting is an opportunity to be heard. It is an opportunity not only to exercise a collective voice but to express an individual voice based on an individual thought feeling idea desire, preference and or belief. It is in many ways an expression of our individuality and identity.

Since 2016 we have been exposed to a great deal of rhetoric around the importance of getting out to vote in every and all elections but articular the last few presidential elections. The airways have been bombarded by language like "democracy under siege", "democratic institutions under attack", "preserving our democracy" and the "fragility of our democracy". Whatever your political persuasion worldview or philosophical tradition, it is assumed that in America we value the core principles of Democracy such free speech the right to life liberty and the pursuit of happiness and one person one vote. While I agree that preserving our democracy is of grave importance, I fear at times that for too many people our Democracy is an abstract concept in which they have no direct participation.

Our fellow citizens that experience intellectual and developmental distinctions are sadly not always included in this most sacred of democratic principles and processes. Which is sadly ironic when you think about it. The disability community has fought tirelessly over the many decades through the lens of self-determination, self-advocacy, being heard, “nothing about us without us”, person centeredness, living an everyday life and having a socially valued role. What is a more fundamental expression of each of those concepts than the casting of ones votes in a democratic society?

While I am not suggesting that our fellow neurodiverse citizens are not allowed to vote, (though in some places they are prevented through various archaic outdated laws), but I am asking the question are we doing all that we can to support our neighbour’s, family members, friends, program participants to exercise their fundamental right to cast an informed vote? I have been a part of many team meetings- support meetings conferences etc where the question is asked " Is Johnnie registered to vote?" In most cases the answer is yes. In very few cases the answer has been no and there has been a fair amount of “Johnnie doesn't want to register to vote he is not interested in voting”.  When I hear that response I wonder if an opportunity is being missed by not spending enough time sharing with Johnnie the importance of exercising the vote and being informed around the election process including issues of importance and available candidates. When you think about the mantra “nothing about us, without us"  it quickly becomes apparent that voting for people with IDD/A is critically important because voting unlocks all the other freedoms and benefits that come along with our society. Budgets, resources, the economy, free speech, crime, jobs, educational referendums, social policy. All of which have a direct or indirect impact on their lives. It stands to reason then that the voice of our neurodiverse citizens should be heard at the ballot box.

Voting is also not restricted to the act of casting a ballot, but it is a middle ground of a much broader process in which our family members and friends’ fellow citizens can and should be a part. Casting ones vote not only expresses a choice and an opinion and feelings about a matter or a candidate or an issue but it suggests A) I have taken the time to become informed prior to my act of casting the vote, and B) I will be taking time to follow up on what happens after my vote has been cast and begin to adjust my thinking and place in the community post-election. It says I am invested in the future. A theme that has come to the fore as of late.

I would suggest that the act of voting and engaging in the political process can be integrated into so much of how we support our loved ones, program participants, neighbours and fellow citizens. For those who have an Individualized Education plan (IEP) part of the that plan includes a set of goals and tasks that will prepare the young person for life as an adult. I argue that at least one goal should reflect civic engagement. It prepares the young person for self-advocacy, and self-determination. If a person happens to have an Individualized Support Plan (ISP), there are goals and tasks through which a person identifies their priorities for living their best life. There is the supported decision-making process and the Charting the LifeCourse framework which can and should include planning to become an informed voter and blistering an established or developing socially valued role. There are internships and volunteer opportunities at the local polling place. These represent not only skill building, visibility and civic engagement but it sends the message that EVERYONE regardless of variations in form and function has a stake in the society.

The point here is that when we are thinking about self-determination, self-advocacy, leadership development, peer support, and inclusion engaging in the full breadth of the electoral process is by far the ultimate act of demonstrating a vested interest in ones future the futures of one’s peers and a well-established socially valued role.