by Lena Vye
When I was around 8 years old, I was diagnosed with a learning disorder. Before I learned to manage my symptoms, they started affecting my education. I was lucky to have incredible teachers who cared about me, and I was lucky to benefit from an accommodation called a 504 plan. Section 504 of the Rehabilitation Act of 1973 prohibits discrimination based on disability in programs receiving federal funding and guarantees a free appropriate public education to students with disabilities.
That law, and the 504 plan that came from it, can be traced back to Brown v. Board of Education, in which the Supreme Court held that Black students had the right to equal educational opportunities. That ruling paved the way for parents of children with disabilities to bring similar lawsuits, fighting against the exclusion their kids faced in schools. From the 1965 Elementary and Secondary Education Act to the 1975 Education for All Handicapped Children Act to the Americans with Disabilities Act, people of all abilities slowly won and protected their civil rights.
In April’s Louisiana v. Callais ruling, the Supreme Court gutted Section 2 of the Voting Rights Act and opened the door for partisan gerrymandering, erasing decades of progress toward meaningful representation for Black people and other people of color. The additional restrictions on Section 2 of the VRA will likely make it significantly more difficult to challenge redistricting, meaning that majority-Black and majority-Latino seats are now at risk of being eliminated.
For many white Americans, this ruling may have come as a shock. For many Black and brown communities, it was a confirmation of what they have long known: the fight for civil rights in America is never finished. We do not have to debate anymore whether racism is alive and well in the United States. Now we have proof.
We all have a debt.
The path to civil rights for so many Americans was blazed by people of color. The civil rights that primarily Black communities fought for built the foundation on which so many of Americans’ rights stood: free appropriate public education, the ADA, labor rights, gay and interracial marriage, and women’s right to have a job, credit card, house, business, birth control and abortion.
If it weren’t for the civil rights movement, my education would have been very different. If I hadn’t had accommodations for my learning disability, I would almost certainly have fallen behind my peers. I often think about how, if I hadn’t had teachers who cared about me or who had the time and resources to lend extra help, I wouldn’t be where I am today. I owe everyone who supported me throughout my education, and the pillars they stood on, for where I am today.
If you are a woman, a person of color, LGBTQIA+, or if you have a job, you owe a debt to the civil rights activists who fought for the rights that benefit you. If you don’t fall into one of those categories but you plan on growing old someday, when you may need disability services, then you also owe that debt. Destroying Black civil rights destroys everyone’s rights. If one of us isn’t free, none of us is free. We all have a responsibility to each other to fight and to take back every freedom that has been taken from us.
Why your vote still matters
Data from the 2024 election tells us that Democrats are less likely to vote than Republicans. Research from Catalist and the Pew Research Center shows that in 2024, 15% of those who voted for Biden in 2020 stayed home in 2024 rather than vote, compared to only 11% of Trump voters. This gap may speak to how exhausted progressives are from participating in broken systems. Why should they show up to vote if their voices are not being represented? As activists, we need to think critically about how to engage with voters who are feeling disenfranchised by the system.
There are a number of strategies for how to talk to disengaged voters. The key is honesty. People don’t want to keep hearing the same tired lines about civic duty when there are clear election suppression and subversion efforts happening in broad daylight.
To be persuasive, we have to own up to the fact that our democracy is failing us right now. It’s failing a lot of people. But therein lies the answer: If we want to build a better system, we need to participate and we need to make our voices heard. If you’re not sitting at the decision making table, you just might be on the menu.
You have a number of ways to hold your government accountable. One of them is voting. Yes, it’s rare that a single vote is the deciding factor in an election. However, we cannot discount the power of the vote just because of statistics. That voting is insufficient does not mean that voting doesn’t matter.
Even if your candidate loses, voting matters because politicians behave more carefully the greater the opposition. When you vote, you show politicians that you are paying attention. Just because the system is inefficient does not mean you don’t show up. Voting makes a difference for you and for the people around you. When you vote, you’re not only owning your share of the big picture, you’re taking care of your neighbors and communities.
What you can do right now
Check your registration.
Verify your voter registration status, and make sure your name matches across all vital documents. Make a plan for the polls and know your deadlines. Be prepared to mail in ballots and voter registration materials three to five business days in advance of any deadlines.
Massachusetts State Primary — Tuesday, September 1, 2026
- Voter registration deadline: Saturday, August 22
- Early in-person voting: Saturday, August 22 – Friday, August 28
- Vote-by-mail application deadline: 5 PM, Tuesday, August 25
Massachusetts General Election — Tuesday, November 3, 2026
- Voter registration deadline: Saturday, October 24, 2026
- Early in-person voting: Saturday, October 17 – Friday, October 30
- Vote-by-mail application deadline: 5 PM, Tuesday, October 27
Vote early
Voting early reduces your exposure to potential Election Day intimidation and gives you time to resolve any problems that come up.
Don’t just vote; be an informed voter.
Research your candidates and ballot questions well in advance of the election. Ask candidates directly how they will protect voting maps from gerrymandering and redistricting. And let them know that you will hold them accountable to their answers.
Lean into activism work!
Good Trouble Lives On is a nationwide weekend of action scheduled for July 17-19, 2026, inspired by civil rights leader John Lewis’ call to create “good trouble” through peaceful, nonviolent protest to defend voting rights and civil rights. Pledge to take action the weekend of July 17, and keep an eye out for Good Trouble events happening near you.
Volunteer for election protection.
Common Cause Election Protection is preparing nonpartisan poll monitoring volunteers to be deployed to high-priority polling locations all over Massachusetts in November. Volunteers will help ensure access to the ballot for all eligible voters who wish to participate, assist voters who encounter challenges, and report emergent complications. Lawyers for Civil Rights also trains volunteers to become legal observers specifically for election protection. Or consider becoming a poll worker through your local town or city clerk.
Help remove voting barriers in Massachusetts.
There is an active campaign to bring Election Day voter registration to the state.This would allow people to register to vote on the same day as the election. Call your MA state legislators and tell them to support it. Or print out the petition and go collect signatures within your town or city.
What the IMC Safeguard Our Elections team is doing
The Indivisible Mass Coalition Safeguard Our Elections Action Team has been organizing since 2020, working with Common Cause MA, the ACLU and other partners to fight voter suppression on multiple fronts. Our goals are to:
- Protect free and fair elections and ensure every vote counts
- Decrease or remove barriers to voter access
- Improve civics education and engagement
We are currently developing our statewide and national strategy, supporting the Election Day voter registration campaign, and developing relationships with partners and allies who are already doing similar work.
IMC will hold a statewide call on June 16th with a special guest speaker from VoPro Pros who will be speaking on actions we can take to safeguard elections across the country. More details and registration information will be posted in the IMC Calendar at least a week before the call.
IMC is also starting a Voter Participation Action Team. It will collaborate with the Safeguard Our Elections Action Team to share this work. We meet every Wednesday at 4:30 PM. To attend our meetings, register here. For more resources and to get involved, visit the IMC Safeguard Our Elections Action Team channel on Slack. Join the IMC Slack here.
Lena Vye is a member of the IMC Safeguard Our Elections Action Team and Mass50501.
IndivisiBlog posts reflect the opinions of the authors and do not necessarily reflect the opinions or policy positions of Indivisible Mass Coalition.
