Don’t Give Up Your Power — Vote With Pride
By John Fredrickson, Nebraska State Senator
What are your name and pronouns?
John Fredrickson (He/him)
What did you want to be when you were a teenager?
A Psychologist or a Social Worker
What office do you hold and where do you hold it?
State Senator for Nebraska’s 20th Legislative District
Why did you run for office?
As a mental health practitioner, I saw over and over again ways that my clients were being failed by a lack of comprehensive mental health infrastructure in our state. I spent a significant amount of time investigating solutions to the infrastructure problem and quickly learned that elected leaders set the policy for mental health resources in our state, yet there were no legislators in Nebraska who were subject matter experts in mental health.
I ran for office because I saw a need in my community.
Why is it important for young people to be involved in politics?
Politics can at times feel cringe, but the reality is, active engagement & participation is our duty as participants in a democracy. Policies have a significant impact on our lives, and we cannot take our hard-earned rights for granted.
If you’re like me, you have a lot of opinions of how things should be — in your own lives and in our state and country.
It’s important to put these opinions to work, to speak truth to power and to get engaged at any level of government.
What advice would you give a young LGTBQ+ person who wants to pursue a career in politics?
If you want to make your community a better place, run for office.
If you want to be a leader in your community or state, run for office.
If someone tells you that you can’t run for office because of who you are or who you love, run for office.
When we don’t raise our hands to serve, the conversation continues to be about us, not with us.
When we have a seat at the table or a spot in the room where decisions are made — the areas that only electeds have access to — we are a part of the critical conversations that determine and form policies that have such a meaningful impact on the lives of our community members.
Why, in your opinion, is it important to vote?
I used to roll my eyes when people would say cliche phrases like, “This is the most important election of our lifetime,” or, “Every vote matters.” Sometimes, I still do.
But as it turns out, it does — actually — matter.
In my campaign for Legislature — my first elected office — I won by a margin of less than 90 votes.
I’m honored to serve my community and my state in this way.
But there’s someone like me on every ballot in every state: An underdog candidate who might not be the noisiest or the most well-funded; but they might be the candidate that makes the most difference in your life and the lives of so many others.
Your vote is your voice. And if you’re not speaking for yourself, someone else is likely speaking for you. Don’t give up that power.
About the Series
- To check if you are able to vote, visit nass.org/can-I-vote
- To register to vote or to check your voter registration, visit vote.gov
- To find the location and time of polling sites near you, visit usa.gov/how-to-vote
In 2024, across the globe, more people are going to vote than ever before. It is vital that you stay informed, and that, when the time comes you vote. The Vote With Pride series aims to motivate people, especially young queer people, to take their life into their own hands this year by casting a ballot.
