It’s Your Government- Vote with Pride
By Johanna Bender, King County Superior Court Judge
I am always emotional on election day. Sometimes because of the grave consequences of a particular race or initiative. But always because I am reminded that voting is our country’s great equalizer. Young or old, wealthy or impoverished, rural farmer or city-dweller, we have the collective right to fill each seat in our representative democracy.
As an elected official myself, it is astonishing to think of a functioning democracy that would disenfranchise huge swaths of its adult population. My grandmother lived to see the 19th Amendment enacted into law. My mother was among the multitudes of Americans who joined together to demand that the Black citizens of our country have their voices heard through the electoral process. It is no coincidence that the civil rights movement of the 1960s focused on the enfranchisement of Black Americans- voting allows us to empower members of the community who will speak for us. 49 years after the passage of the Voting Rights Act of 1965, one quarter of the U.S. Congress now identify as BIPOC.
As a member of Generation X, and a parent to two young men in their twenties, I am keenly aware that my generation has left very difficult challenges for younger people to resolve. I can appreciate the instinct to withdraw from problems you did not create and whose solutions feel out of reach. That said, my charge to you is this: Find what moves you and get involved. Voting is critical, but it is not enough. Find the cause, the community, or the person who you believe in and work to make change. Your first taste of success will motivate you to keep going.
In 2004, I was asked to serve as a plaintiff in a lawsuit seeking to strike Washington State’s Defense of Marriage Act as unconstitutional. We won in the trial court, and lost at the State Supreme Court in a split decision. Our coalition persevered, and over the next several years, we persuaded the State Legislature to adopt domestic partnerships and, ultimately, full access to the institution of marriage. This work was accomplished by an enormous network of lawyers, lawmakers, community organizers, and volunteers. No one person won this battle, and no single person likely could. But as a coalition, our voices were loud, persuasive, and ultimately successful.
Twenty years later, I now serve as a trial judge in the same court where that lawsuit was filed. I believe that our justice system, while marred by systemic challenges, is also one of the signature accomplishments of our democracy. The judicial branch exists to provide a peaceful and equitable forum for the resolution of disputes. It serves as a check on the tyranny of the majority.
My role has changed. I can no longer serve as an advocate for an individual person or cause. Instead, my job is to safeguard and improve the judiciary itself. As a Lesbian/Queer person (pronouns: she/her), it has been my honor to educate my peers on issues impacting LGBTQIA+ families, to mentor younger attorneys from diverse communities who wish to serve as judges, and to play a lead role in crafting my court’s diversity, equity, and inclusion policies.
I have chosen to promote justice from within one of our government institutions. Your call to service will likely look very different from mine. Perhaps you, too, will run for office. Perhaps you will champion a candidate who you admire. Perhaps you will work for an elected official. Perhaps you will advocate for change on behalf of a community group or non-profit. You have limitless opportunities for civic engagement. Find your mentors. Find your passions. Find your causes. You will never regret leaving your community better than you found it.
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.
