Beyond the Ballot: How Parties Engaged and What It Can Mean for the Future

93 days ago, in the middle of an election cycle between incumbent President Joe Biden and former President Donald Trump, Vice President Kamala Harris became the new official democratic candidate for the President of the United States. Not only was this move unexpected and unprecedented, it was the clearest signal to everyone so far that – for better or worse – this was no typical election cycle. It was uncommonly intense and the stakes were equally high for both sides. Voter engagement efforts were prioritized as a key to shifting the outcome on Election Day, particularly in Pennsylvania, the biggest and highest-yielding of the battleground states.

To be sure, voter turnout is the most definitive measure of whether engagement efforts are ultimately successful or not. In 2020, poll findings consistently reported a high level of interest among voters in that election and its outcome. Voters were engaged across a range of political activities, including donating, canvassing, expressing support for a favored candidate on social media, and more. It’s both notable and completely unsurprising that that year’s election also saw record-high turnout, with 66.3% of the voting-eligible population casting their ballot amid similarly high stakes.

At the start of this year’s election cycle, it remained to be seen whether voter investment would drive engagement and turnout to the same degree that it did four years ago. Now, with the election behind us, it feels like the answer was yes – or at least, almost. The overall voter turnout this year dropped slightly from the last presidential election, with around a 64.5% turnout nationwide. Here in Pennsylvania, voter turnout in Tuesday’s election hit pretty much the same numbers it did in 2020, with close to 7 million votes counted. In Philadelphia, 63.3% of registered voters cast their ballot, compared to the 66.3% in 2020.

So, to what extent did engagement efforts drive outcomes locally? If the massive Republican sweep of nearly every Pennsylvania county is any indication, then the positive impact of those efforts for Republicans was ultimately decisive. According to Charles E. O’Connor Jr., Republican Leader of Philadelphia’s 45th ward (which includes parts of Port Richmond and Bridesburg), the usual pre-election canvassing activities started in October and lasted through early November; however, civic engagement increased greatly throughout this election cycle. The swell of engagement among community members, O’Connor notes, “was evidenced by a marked increase in voter turnout yesterday. The Republican Party’s ticket swept the 45th Ward carrying each candidate to victory.” 

Democrats also reported a swell in civic engagement this election season. Jacen Bowman, co-chair of PA Black Men for Harris, observed a “notable increase” in civic engagement, particularly within the Black and brown queer community.

Bowman explains, “Many individuals are actively participating in protests, community organizing, and local politics, recognizing the importance of their voices in shaping policies that affect their lives.” Bowman also acknowledged the ways in which social media played a role in promoting civic engagement, namely by “mobilizing and connecting community members, allowing for a broader reach.”

These observations suggest that direct local engagement efforts may only have been part of the reason civic engagement was so high… and potentially not even the most significant part.

Just like in 2020’s race, voters showed up this time in force because, once again, people on either side felt the stakes were higher than ever. This election season, a reported 76% of voters  said that it really matters who wins, while 64% report having given “a lot of thought to the election” and its outcome. For voters of each party, the issues on the table were the main galvanizing force behind the record turnout. In the case of Republicans, O’Connor points to the changing demographic of the 45th ward as key to the shifts in the concerns and interests of those communities. Some of the most engaged and involved community members, he notes, are “Latino or Vietnamese naturalized US citizens that are either staunch Roman Catholics or evangelical Protestants who have recently become interested in engaging in local or national politics, and who are not comfortable with the focus of today’s Democratic Party.”

For many Democrats, Bowman says that “the surge [of civic engagement] is driven by a heightened awareness of social justice issues and a collective desire for representation and equity”, and notes that “initiatives focused on voter registration, advocacy for LGBTQ+ rights, and intersectional justice have gained momentum, fostering a sense of empowerment, and community solidarity.”

So, acknowledging that the rise in engagement this election was in large part driven by the voters themselves, what did Republicans do right in engaging communities and mobilizing them to the polls? The Republican ticket sweeping the 45th ward, for example, was a remarkable feat. O’Connor notes that such a thing hasn’t happened since 1988. He credits that amazing momentum to the new Republican Committee members they’ve been recruiting, mainly from the west side of the 45th ward, where most of the residents are Black or brown. According to O’Connor, “We are rebuilding a new Republican Party in these neighborhoods,” where civic engagement has often been dormant for many years. 

Embracing a shift in demographics and demonstrating community engagement to fully understand the needs and concerns of your community and neighbors is another thing the Republicans seemed to get right, as Democrats lost ground to Republicans this election.

“Most local Republican Party leaders are aging white ethnics who kept the 45th Ward Republican Party Ward Organization alive during the lean years of the Obama/ Biden Years”, says O’Connor. “The first Trump presidential term showed [new Republicans] that things did not always have to be the same as they were under the Clintons, the Bushes, the Obamas and the Bidens.” O’Connor explains one of the keys to Republicans’ success at the polls, “The new Republican Committee people registered over 500 new Republicans from April 2024 and got them out to vote. Their work was a major reason why the Republican Party was able to carry the 45th ward” in a presidential election for the first time in 36 years. 

What remains to be seen now is whether the momentum of engagement can carry beyond the ballot. Are there mechanisms in place to increase and power civic engagement post-election, and if so, what might those look  like? O’Connor is hopeful that the Republicans’ victory on Tuesday will encourage and galvanize party members new and old. 

“President Trump’s victory yesterday is hopefully just the start of [the new committee members’] engagement in leadership in our community and the local Republican Party politics.” Hopefully, he says, their work will continue to strengthen the Philadelphia Republican Party to the point of being able to compete with Democrats for seats in local office like city council, state representative, and state senate. 

For Democrats, the interest in maintaining engagement is different but no less critical. According to Bowman, engagement will definitely continue to increase around local policies and community needs, especially within the Black and brown LGBTQIA+ community. 

“Yes,” Bowman says, “in light of Trump’s win, engagement within the Black and brown queer community will not only continue but likely intensify. The challenges we face under this administration highlight the importance of solidarity, advocacy, and activism. We must come together to meet our community’s needs, uplift our voices, and fight for our rights. This moment calls for resilience and determination to push back against discrimination and ensure our issues are prioritized. It’s essential to keep organizing, educating, and supporting one another, ensuring that our community’s needs are met regardless of the political climate.”

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