The end of 2020 marks the end of the four years that Trump has been in office, making this election year more important than ever. But, voting is not the only thing to be done to reform the government.

Organized activism helps target major issues and actively works to correct them. According to Organizing.Work, a website about the ins and outs of organizing, long term organized reform helps create more effective social change.

 Young people tend to believe that voting is not as effective as activism, but they are still heavily involved in politics.

“It’s absurd to think we aren’t voting because we’re unengaged or simply don’t care enough about our future — just look at the Black Lives Matter protests and rallies organized by young activists across the United States,” Chloe Vassot, a graduate student at Emerson College, wrote for The Boston Globe.

 Voting doesn’t necessarily mean the issues you want addressed will be handled as you hoped by the candidate you vote for. For example, Herbert Hoover promised prosperity. Instead of prosperity, the U.S fell into the Great Depression.

Similarly, George H. W Bush promised no new taxes, and despite his promise, signed a new bill to raise taxes in 1989. Unfortunately for his voters, that’s not the only thing he promised to do but didn’t fulfill. He also promised to reduce government spending and make social security private, but never followed through.

More recently, Barack Obama promised to close down Guantanamo Bay, but there are still suspected terrorists   that  live there.

When a bill that limits abortions beyond six weeks, HB481 (also known as the Living Infants Fairness and Equality, or LIFE Act), was passed in Georgia on March 29, 2019 many voters felt as though their voices were left unheard.

“I watched those activists, many of whom proudly proclaim that they vote, feel powerless as the bill passed the Senate,” Teen Vogue’s Gayla Tillman  said.

For many young voters, organizing is a way to voice their opinions without having to go through the hassle of the election process. Regardless of election results, there is always something to fight for.