Our Vote is Our Power: How NYLCVEF Inspired Thousands to Make Their Voices Heard in 2024

At the New York League of Conservation Voters Education Fund (NYLCVEF), we believe in the power of voting. Voting is more than just casting a ballot; it’s an act of hope and a commitment to shaping the world around us. During the 2024 election, through our largest voter awareness campaign yet, Our Vote is Our Power, we reached thousands of voters with one clear message: your voice matters.

With the climate crisis intensifying and public health on the line, the stakes couldn’t be higher. Change doesn’t happen in a vacuum; it happens when people come together to demand action. Although not every result will be what we hope for, the act of voting itself is an essential investment in the system that drives that change.

It’s also important to note that it doesn’t end with an election. Now is the time to stay engaged and hold our elected officials accountable.

Engaging Voters Across New York

In communities from Nassau County to Syracuse, the Hudson Valley to New York City, NYLCVEF worked tirelessly to connect with voters. We produced and distributed a video to demonstrate the power of the vote. We engaged in over 50 community events, sent more than 17,000 text messages, made 71,000 calls, and gathered nearly 3,000 pledges to vote. Each interaction, whether through a text, a postcard, or a conversation at a concert, served as a reminder: your vote is your power.

One of our favorite moments came during a collaboration that used the power of art to jumpstart civic engagement. 

It’s called Project Your Vote from visual artists Packard Jennings and Jessica Tully, whom the Education Fund partnered with to create inspiring images that were displayed across the Brooklyn Public Library’s iconic 1941 facade the night before early voting began. 

The project was created in partnership with the Center for Artistic Activism and their Art for the Polls program and with support from the Center for Artistic Action, and People for the American Way Foundation.

The unique projections featured larger-than-life slow-motion videos to evoke iconic imagery from the 1960s civil rights movement and inspire feelings of pride, empowerment, and community while simultaneously connecting the struggle for voters’ rights – and the power of the vote – to the present.

The displays transformed from black and white to vibrant color, combining the symbolism of the era with a modern call to action. In addition to the striking visuals, the projection provided crucial election information, including early voting dates and a phone number for voters needing assistance.

Messages like Your Vote Matters and Be a Voter lit up Grand Army Plaza, drawing in commuters and passersby. With a DJ spinning music, our team handed out voter materials and encouraged onlookers to participate in democracy. It was festive, inspiring, and deeply meaningful.

Photographer Randi Rosenblum documented the evening and ABC 7 was on hand to cover the event. 

It didn’t stop there. The Education Fund took the show on the road to Upstate New York with artist Courtney Frances Fallon projecting the stunning visuals at locations in Syracuse, Rochester, and the Hudson Valley, where she was joined by an NYLCVEF team member to document and engage with onlookers. 

The heart of Our Vote is Our Power lay in its grassroots approach. Beyond digital ads and mailers, our team hit the ground to meet people where they are. In Hempstead and in New York City – also in conjunction with Art for the Polls – we partnered with Eljuri Concerts for Democracy, helping to inspire audiences to pledge to vote. And in Syracuse, we sent postcards to voters in low-income neighborhoods, ensuring they had the resources to navigate the voting process.

Why Voting Matters for the Environment

Every vote cast is a step toward a healthier planet. We know the fight against climate change requires bold action, and that action needs to come from policymakers who share our vision for a sustainable future. From funding clean energy initiatives to passing environmental protections, these decisions are made by the people we elect. When we vote, we shape policies that will impact our air, water, and health for generations to come.

By reaching low-propensity voters, many of whom face barriers to participation, we aim to bridge the gap between individual voices and collective change. Whether through concerts, postcard meetups, or projections at polling places, our campaign focused on engaging communities often left out of the conversation.

The Health of Democracy Depends on Us

As we look toward the primaries in June, the message doesn’t waver. Each ballot cast is a declaration of belief in a better future. Voting is how we show up for our communities, for the environment, and for each other, and it’s the most powerful tool we have to address the challenges facing our planet.