Real political change starts with a ballot, not a banner

The effectiveness of protesting only goes so far. What matters is sustained civil engagement, especially in the form of voting.

By Martin Romero, Special to the Star

(Estefani Herrera for the Valley Star)

In October, thousands flooded the streets of Downtown Los Angeles for the "No Kings Protest," yet very little measurable change followed once the signs came down and the streets cleared.

For hours, thousands of Angelenos rallied at Gloria Molina Grand Park, near the steps of City Hall, on Oct. 18. Many wore costumes, chanted and carried handmade signs decrying the Trump administration of authoritarianism and defying the Constitution.

Even Gov. Gavin Newsom urged protestors on X “to stay safe and demonstrate peacefully" against what he called "the President's authoritarian playbook."

But after the speeches ended and the crowd completed its march around Downtown, the city – barring a protest outside the Edward R. Roybal Federal Building – returned to normal. By evening, the streets reopened, commuters headed home and businesses resumed usual traffic. By the next morning, Downtown looked the same as it had before the protests.

The protests were loud, visible and full of passionate, everyday Angelenos. Still, the impact of these protests ended almost as quickly as the crowd dispersed, with it fading out of the news cycle after a few days.

Ironically, the only action taken by the LA City Council in response to the protests was a motion unanimously approving the council to have more oversight over parade activity.

Not much has improved since the protests occurred; the government has just experienced its longest shutdown in U.S. history, while the Supreme Court halted food stamp benefits in early November. 

Dante Hernandez, a recent college graduate and South Gate resident, told CalMatters that keeping up with student debt and rent is "demoralizing as a young person." He added that now even getting a salad from the store isn't "something that makes sense to do financially."

Protests play a vital role in civic life. They can build solidarity, raise awareness and push often-ignored issues into the forefront. They unite people and offer an outlet for anger and fear.

However, protests alone rarely shift policy, because change requires planning, voting and sustained engagement long after the crowds go home.

A one-day protest in the street does not sway the people who write laws and shape budgets. They respond to voters, persistent advocates and organized communities that stay engaged.

Lilly McGee wrote in a blog for the League of Women Voters that a crucial factor which makes protests successful is that they are "not performed in a vacuum," but rather "carried out in partnership, across people and organizations."

These factors are crucial for the goal of a protest to materialize. A new study from the USC Center for Inclusive Democracy found voter turnout among Californians dropped in 2024, with the steepest declines among young voters. 

Eligible voters ages 18 to 24 saw a 7.7-point drop from 2020, and turnout among 25 to 34 fell by more than 11 points. Those declines outpaced other age groups and contributed to more than one million fewer Californians voting in 2024.

A march may shut down traffic in the downtown of the second-largest city in the US, but with cars at a standstill in LA every other day, real change needs to look  much different. Only elections whose outcomes determine the budget, set housing policy and enforce the Constitution can actually make significant differences.

The passage of Prop 50, which was proposed in response to the gerrymandering of Democratic U.S. House seats in Texas, will have a greater long-term effect than waving banners over the 101 Freeway.

Meaningful action takes time and patience because it involves reading ballot measures, staying informed and holding your representatives accountable. Democracy is not a one-day event; it is a lifelong responsibility.