As we move into the 2024 election season it is important to prepare for the aftermath of the election. Regardless of the outcome, there is potential for civil unrest. Action Link (a LGBTQ organization that focuses on policy and advocacy work) has developed a plan in the event of civil unrest. Plan ahead as we move into November and know that social workers are here to help advocate for those in need.
Preparing for Potential Civil Unrest During an Election Cycle Stay Informed
Self-Defense Awareness
For more information visit: https://www.lgbtactionlink.org/
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In November there are two amendments on the Kentucky Ballot. Here is a little information on those amendments:
References Horsley, McKenna. (2024) Amendment 1: ‘Proactive’ or a ploy to stir up anti-immigrant vote? https://kentuckylantern.com/2024/10/10/amendment-1-proactive-or-ploy-to-stir-up- anti-immigrant-vote-boost-the-other-amendment/ Adams, M. G. (2024). 2024 constitutional amendments. An Official Website of the Commonwealth of Kentucky. https://www.sos.ky.gov/elections/Pages/2024-Constitutional-Amendments.aspx Collins, Emma. (2024). Kentucky’s Proposed Amendment 2: Bad for Taxpayers, Bad for Kentucky. https://www.kentuckylawjournal.org/blog/kentuckys-proposed-amendment-2-bad-for-students-bad-for-taxpayers-bad-for-kentucky Pinski, H. (2024, October 9). Kentucky ballot measures. Courier Journal. https://www.courier-journal.com/story/news/politics/elections/2024/09/13/kentucky-ballot-measures/74231405007/ Vanderhoff, M. (2024, September 16). Get the facts: New ad campaign urges Kentucky voters to approve Amendment 1. WLKY. https://www.wlky.com/article/ad-campaign-kentucky-voters-approve-amendment-1/62177936 As we approach the upcoming 2024 presidential election the significance of voting cannot be understated. In recent elections, specifically from 2008 to 2020, voter participation has noticeably fluctuated. Presidential election turnout rates dropped about four percent between the 2008 and 2012 elections. There was a much larger fluctuation found in the mid-term election turnout from 36.7 percent in 2014 to 49.7 percent in 2018 following the controversial election of Donald Trump according to the Journal of Social Work education. The inconsistency in voter turnout rates among eligible voters is considered problematic among experts as a strong democracy is hindered by low participation of voters. Voting allows individuals, families, organizations, and communities to voice concern or disapproval for certain policies. Voting also allows vulnerable populations to a chance to engage in the political process and can be a powerful tool for change for marginalized communities.
Scores of empirical evidence have linked voting and health. One study conducted by the National Library of Public Medicine (NLPM) sought to examine the relationship between differences in voter participation and the impact on public health. According to this study by the National Library of Public Medicine, four interrelated areas were discovered in association with voting. The first is that there is a consistency in the association between voting and health, the second is differences in voter participation are associated with health conditions, the third is gaps in voter participation may be associated with electoral outcomes and the fourth is interventions in healthcare organizations can increase voter participation. The results of this study revealed that voting and health are associated, but more importantly people with much worse health are less likely to engage in the political process. Health is, and has been, significantly impacted by social factors and processes, commonly known as the social determinants of health. According to the National Library of Public Medicine the social determinants of health are shaped by the distribution of power and resources. Voting also significantly impacts the distribution of power and resources as larger voter participation translates into greater influence over determining who holds political power and can enact change in a given community. As social workers we often find ourselves at the intersection of advocacy and empathy in our commitment to justice. Arguably more than any other profession, social workers experience firsthand societal inequities, systemic oppression, and often witness policies fail marginalized communities. The clients social workers serve often lack a strong political voice and the distribution of power and resources works against these communities. Those who hold political power tend to reward those who engage in the voting process by putting forward support policies that respond to the demands of their respective communities. Policies enacted by elected officials typically shape the social determinants of health. With that in mind voter participation has also been strongly associated with socioeconomic status as well. Research has shown that those in lower income communities and those with a lower level of education are associated with lower rates of voter participation during elections. This connection also pertains to people with physical, intellectual, and psychological disabilities revealing they too consistently have lower rates of voter participation. According to the study conducted by NLPM, results unveil that lower voting rates were associated with poor self-rated health measured by health risk behaviors, mortality, chronic health conditions, and hospitalization. The findings also reveal that voting is positively associated with self-rated health regardless of Socio-economic status. The discourse around voting for social workers has been a controversial topic. There are some in the field who accept prevailing myths about voter mobilization while on the job being partisan considering it unethical, with some even going as far as to say it is illegal according to the Journal of Social Work Education. On the contrary, voting is an extension of a Social Workers professional ethics and encouraging clients to register can be a powerful tool for change, especially for vulnerable populations. At the most basic level, Social Workers should lead by example, and by not engaging in the political process is unethical and not conducive to fostering change and empowerment. References Abramovitz, M., Sherraden, M., Hill, K., Smith, T. R., Lewis, B., & Mizrahi, T. (2019). Voting is Social Work: Voices From the National Social Work Voter Mobilization Campaign. Journal of Social Work Education, 55(4), 626–644. https://doi.org/10.1080/10437797.2019.1656690 Brown CL, Raza D, Pinto AD. Voting, health and interventions in healthcare settings: a scoping review. Public Health Rev. 2020 Jul 1;41:16. doi: 10.1186/s40985-020-00133-6. PMID: 32626605; PMCID: PMC7329475. |
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