The midterm elections confirmed that , in many ways , we are a nation divided . But maybe not as divided as we seem .
Voters may be split on their partisan preferences . But in ballot initiatives , voters across the political spectrum ushered in a wave of significant changes . They hiked the minimum wage in Nebraska , expanded Medicaid in South Dakota , capped medical debt in Arizona , and protected abortion rights not only in Michigan , California , and Vermont but also in the redder states of Kentucky and Montana .
These issues cross party lines . The common thread is that the people most impacted by them are poor — a voting bloc that demands attention like never before .
In 2009 , I went to West Virginia for a week-long school for poor and low-income organizations and leaders . There were 150 people there from over 40 organizations across the country . I met organizers , media-makers , cultural workers , faith leaders , scholars , and advocates of every stripe , united by their desire to raise wages , make housing more affordable , ensure clean water for all , and more . It was a remarkable experience . At the time , the Great Recession had been declared officially over — but nearly every person there was still reeling from its effects . A decade later , we realized the true extent of that hardship , when the Souls of Poor Folk report found that in the wealthiest country in the world , 140 million people were poor or low-income .
As the Policy Director of the Poor People ’ s Campaign and the Kairos Center , I spend most of my time thinking about these 140 million people . Among them are our parents and children , friends , neighbors , and people who touch our lives every day .
We seldom hear about poverty in elections . But poor people vote . In 2020 , one-third of all votes were cast by poor or low-income people — a figure that rose even higher in some battleground states in the South and Midwest . In all , 50 million low-income people voted in that election .
Numbers like these can make all the difference . That ’ s why the Poor People ’ s Campaign reached out to over 6 million poor and lowincome eligible voters in the lead-up to this year ’ s midterms . Our bilingual voter drive engaged
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