--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: The only way change happens is when…" description: "\"The only way change happens is when people become more significantly involved in the political process. We have to increase voter turnout and citizen p..." image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/5e3/bernie-sanders-233_change_the-only-way-change-happens-is-when-peop_541368.jpg" --- # The only way change happens is when people become more… ![“The only way change happens is when people become more significantly involved in the political process. We have to increase voter turnout and citizen participation so that people know what's going on and demand a government that works for everybody and not just the one percent.” quote by Bernie Sanders](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/5e3/bernie-sanders-233_change_the-only-way-change-happens-is-when-peop_541368.jpg) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/5e3/bernie-sanders-233_change_the-only-way-change-happens-is-when-peop_541368.jpg) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/5e3/bernie-sanders-233_change_the-only-way-change-happens-is-when-peop_541368.jpg) > “The only way change happens is when people become more significantly involved in the political process. We have to increase voter turnout and citizen participation so that people know what's going on and demand a government that works for everybody and not just the one percent.” [Bernie Sanders](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/bernie-sanders/) ## About This Quote This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation. Broad citizen engagement in politics is essential for a government that serves the many, not just the wealthy elite. **In simple terms:** More people voting leads to a fairer government. Key Takeaway Vote and participate to shape a government for everyone. Themes democracy participation equality politics Mood motivational urgent Type call to action political When to use this quote - elections - community organizing - policy advocacy - public forums Key Concepts civic engagement political science social justice Questions to Reflect On - What steps can you take to increase your own political involvement? - How can communities overcome obstacles to voting? A Different Perspective Voter fatigue and systemic barriers can limit participation. ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [Change](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/change/) [Change Happens](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/change-happens/) [Citizen Participation](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/citizen-participation-1637810/) [Citizens](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/citizens/) [Demand](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/demand/) [Government](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/government/) [Happens](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/happens/) [Increase](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/increase/) [Increase Voter](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/increase-voter-1056873/) [Involved](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/involved/) [Knows](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/knows/) [Participation](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/participation/) [People](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/people/) [Percent](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/percent/) [Political](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/political/) [Politics](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/politics/) [Process](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/process/) [Turnout Citizen](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/turnout-citizen-4525782/) [Voter turnout](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/voter-turnout/) [Voters](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/voters/) [Way](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/way/) ## Related quotes > [Same day voter registration is just common sense and a proven way to increase voter participation.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/dean-phillips/same-day-voter-registration-is-just-common-sense-and-a-proven-way-to/) [Dean Phillips](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/dean-phillips/) > [Citizen participation is a device whereby public officials induce nonpublic individuals to act in a way the officials desire.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/daniel-patrick-moynihan/citizen-participation-is-a-device-whereby-public-officials-induce/) [Daniel Patrick Moynihan](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/daniel-patrick-moynihan/) > [Republican liberty depends on citizen participation, on a government that is of, for, and by the people.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/josh-hawley/republican-liberty-depends-on-citizen-participation-on-a-government/) [Josh Hawley](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/josh-hawley/) > [If there is a large voter turnout, not only do we retain the White House, but I think we regain the Senate. We win…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/bernie-sanders/if-there-is-a-large-voter-turnout-not-only-do-we-retain-the-white/) [Bernie Sanders](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/bernie-sanders/) > [We will do well when young people, when working-class people come out. We do not do well when the voter turnout is not large.…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/bernie-sanders/we-will-do-well-when-young-people-when-working-class-people-come-out/) [Bernie Sanders](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/bernie-sanders/) > [Democrats and progressives do well when the voter turnout is high. Republicans do well when the voter turnout is low.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/bernie-sanders/democrats-and-progressives-do-well-when-the-voter-turnout-is-high/) [Bernie Sanders](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/bernie-sanders/) > [The reality is that we have one of lowest voter turnouts of any major country on earth because so many people have given up…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/bernie-sanders/the-reality-is-that-we-have-one-of-lowest-voter-turnouts-of-any-major/) [Bernie Sanders](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/bernie-sanders/) > [For Democrats to win, they're going to have to address the needs of working people. They're going to have to address the needs of…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/bernie-sanders/for-democrats-to-win-they-re-going-to-have-to-address-the-needs-of/) [Bernie Sanders](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/bernie-sanders/) > [Republicans win when people are demoralized and you have a small voter turnout, which by the way is why they love voter suppression. I…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/bernie-sanders/republicans-win-when-people-are-demoralized-and-you-have-a-small/) [Bernie Sanders](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/bernie-sanders/) > [Defy the pundits again and reach for a high voter turnout that'll shock the establishment.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/bernie-sanders/defy-the-pundits-again-and-reach-for-a-high-voter-turnout-that-ll/) [Bernie Sanders](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/bernie-sanders/) > [The only way change happens is when people become more significantly involved in the political process.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/bernie-sanders/the-only-way-change-happens-is-when-people-become-more-significantly-2/) [Bernie Sanders](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/bernie-sanders/) > [Unlike the U.S., Iran has no problems with low-voter turnout in elections; the last time, the government got the support of 110 per cent…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/maz-jobrani/unlike-the-u-s-iran-has-no-problems-with-low-voter-turnout-in/) [Maz Jobrani](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/maz-jobrani/) > [A low voter turnout is an indication of fewer people going to the polls.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/al-gore/a-low-voter-turnout-is-an-indication-of-fewer-people-going-to-the/) [Al Gore](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/al-gore/) > [I'm particularly good at turnout. So in my district, I had the lowest voter turnout in 2006. And now I have the highest turnout…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/keith-ellison/i-m-particularly-good-at-turnout-so-in-my-district-i-had-the-lowest/) [Keith Ellison](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/keith-ellison/) > [They appear to have had a higher voter turnout in Iraq than we did in our recent federal elections, and we didn't have terrorists…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/conrad-burns/they-appear-to-have-had-a-higher-voter-turnout-in-iraq-than-we-did-in/) [Conrad Burns](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/conrad-burns/) ## More by Bernie Sanders > [The rich people are apparently leaving America. They're giving up their citizenship. These great lovers of America who made their money in this country-when…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/bernie-sanders/the-rich-people-are-apparently-leaving-america-they-re-giving-up/) [Bernie Sanders](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/bernie-sanders/) > [As the longest serving Independent in the history of the United States Congress, as somebody who came into office by defeating an incumbent Democratic…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/bernie-sanders/as-the-longest-serving-independent-in-the-history-of-the-united/) [Bernie Sanders](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/bernie-sanders/) > [What Wall Street and credit card companies are doing is really not much different from what gangsters and loan sharks do who make predatory…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/bernie-sanders/what-wall-street-and-credit-card-companies-are-doing-is-really-not/) [Bernie Sanders](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/bernie-sanders/) > [What we have got to do immediately is to say that racism and xenophobia is totally unacceptable and we will stand with the 1…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/bernie-sanders/what-we-have-got-to-do-immediately-is-to-say-that-racism-and/) [Bernie Sanders](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/bernie-sanders/) > [In 1999, Hoffmann-LaRoche paid a $500 million criminal fine for leading a worldwide conspiracy to fix prices for certain vitamins.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/bernie-sanders/in-1999-hoffmann-laroche-paid-a-500-million-criminal-fine-for-leading/) [Bernie Sanders](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/bernie-sanders/) > [We need a strategy. And the goal is to bring millions of people together.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/bernie-sanders/we-need-a-strategy-and-the-goal-is-to-bring-millions-of-people/) [Bernie Sanders](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/bernie-sanders/) > [We are living at a time where a handful of people have wealth beyond comprehension - huge yachts, jet planes, tens of billions of…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/bernie-sanders/we-are-living-at-a-time-where-a-handful-of-people-have-wealth-beyond/) [Bernie Sanders](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/bernie-sanders/) > [The deficit crisis is real and must be addressed. But it cannot be solved on the backs of the weak and vulnerable.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/bernie-sanders/the-deficit-crisis-is-real-and-must-be-addressed-but-it-cannot-be/) [Bernie Sanders](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/bernie-sanders/) > [I want to break up the Wall Street banks. Hillary Clinton doesn't. I want to raise the minimum wage to 15 bucks an hour.…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/bernie-sanders/i-want-to-break-up-the-wall-street-banks-hillary-clinton-doesn-t-i/) [Bernie Sanders](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/bernie-sanders/) > [The Palestinian people's needs must be respected.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/bernie-sanders/the-palestinian-people-s-needs-must-be-respected/) [Bernie Sanders](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/bernie-sanders/) > [Hillary Clinton wants to see that all Americans have the right to choose a public option in their health care exchange.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/bernie-sanders/hillary-clinton-wants-to-see-that-all-americans-have-the-right-to/) [Bernie Sanders](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/bernie-sanders/) > [If you want to know if your food contains gluten, aspartame, high fructose corn syrup, trans-fats or MSG, you simply read the ingredients listed…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/bernie-sanders/if-you-want-to-know-if-your-food-contains-gluten-aspartame-high/) [Bernie Sanders](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/bernie-sanders/) > [It reminds me in some ways of the debate taking place in this country and around the world in the late 1930s. There were…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/bernie-sanders/it-reminds-me-in-some-ways-of-the-debate-taking-place-in-this-country/) [Bernie Sanders](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/bernie-sanders/) > [I am sure that there are some single payer advocates who think the only thing worth fighting for is single payer.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/bernie-sanders/i-am-sure-that-there-are-some-single-payer-advocates-who-think-the/) [Bernie Sanders](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/bernie-sanders/) > [The case to be made is that we have got to get people involved - continue to get people involved in the political process…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/bernie-sanders/the-case-to-be-made-is-that-we-have-got-to-get-people-involved/) [Bernie Sanders](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/bernie-sanders/) [Explore all 853 Bernie Sanders quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/bernie-sanders/) ## More Change quotes > [Only within yourself exists the other reality for which you long. I can give you nothing that has not already its being within yourself.…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/hermann-hesse/only-within-yourself-exists-the-other-reality-for-which-you-long-i/) [Hermann Hesse](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/hermann-hesse/) > [Life is full of change. That's how we learn and grow.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/life-is-full-of-change-that-s-how-we-learn-and-grow/) [Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/) > [I can't believe that I'm sitting in meetings with Steven Spielberg, Tom Hanks, and Annette Bening. I want to take on that responsibility to…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/roger-ross-williams/i-can-t-believe-that-i-m-sitting-in-meetings-with-steven-spielberg/) [Roger Ross Williams](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/roger-ross-williams/) > [“…progress isn't necessarily about change but about things turning out as we want them to”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/phil-hogan/progress-isn-t-necessarily-about-change-but-about-things-turning-out/) [Phil Hogan](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/phil-hogan/) > [Nobody can tell me that no changes are necessary in Washington.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/william-weld/nobody-can-tell-me-that-no-changes-are-necessary-in-washington/) [William Weld](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/william-weld/) > [If my campaign is not in the debate, we will not be talking about how we really fix this problem of endless and expanding…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jill-stein/if-my-campaign-is-not-in-the-debate-we-will-not-be-talking-about-how/) [Jill Stein](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jill-stein/) > [When you walk down the street of Kabul your values for life changes, they do change.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/marco-pierre-white/when-you-walk-down-the-street-of-kabul-your-values-for-life-changes/) [Marco Pierre White](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/marco-pierre-white/) > [Your world will change whether or not you choose to change, but you have the power to choose it's direction.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/napoleon-hill/your-world-will-change-whether-or-not-you-choose-to-change-but-you/) [Napoleon Hill](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/napoleon-hill/) > [I hope I continue to evolve.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/charlotte-flair/i-hope-i-continue-to-evolve/) [Charlotte Flair](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/charlotte-flair/) > [“Stay focused on bringing people together and more on positive messaging so that you can be the change you wish to see in the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/germany-kent/stay-focused-on-bringing-people-together-and-more-on-positive/) [Germany Kent](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/germany-kent/) > [The biggest change for me as a mom was realizing I needed to put someone else before me. Now the hardest part about the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/kim-alexis/the-biggest-change-for-me-as-a-mom-was-realizing-i-needed-to-put/) [Kim Alexis](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/kim-alexis/) > [“After the funeral, my life changed. I felt as if time were suddenly precious, water going down an open drain, and I could not…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mitch-albom/after-the-funeral-my-life-changed-i-felt-as-if-time-were-suddenly/) [Mitch Albom](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mitch-albom/) > [You practice mindfulness, on the one hand, to be calm and peaceful. On the other hand, as you practice mindfulness and live a life…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/you-practice-mindfulness-on-the-one-hand-to-be-calm-and-peaceful-on/) [Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/) > [Irish research will contribute to global progress and have the potential to help all countries realise the potential of their land sectors in addressing…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/enda-kenny/irish-research-will-contribute-to-global-progress-and-have-the/) [Enda Kenny](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/enda-kenny/) > [No man can change himself into anything from sheer reason; he can only change into what he potentially is.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/carl-jung/no-man-can-change-himself-into-anything-from-sheer-reason-he-can-only/) [Carl Jung](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/carl-jung/) [Browse all 33,920 Change quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/change/) ```json { "@context": "https://schema.org", "@graph": [ { "@type": "Quotation", "text": "The only way change happens is when people become more significantly involved in the political process. 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