---
title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: Elections aren't just about who votes but…"
description: "\"Elections aren't just about who votes but who doesn't vote.\" — Michelle Obama"
image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/747/michelle-obama-518_about_elections-aren-t-just-about-who-votes-bu_276099.jpg"
---

#  Elections aren't just about who votes but who doesn't vote.

![“Elections aren't just about who votes but who doesn't vote.” quote by Michelle Obama](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/747/michelle-obama-518_about_elections-aren-t-just-about-who-votes-bu_276099.jpg)   [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/747/michelle-obama-518_about_elections-aren-t-just-about-who-votes-bu_276099.jpg) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/747/michelle-obama-518_about_elections-aren-t-just-about-who-votes-bu_276099.jpg)

> “Elections aren't just about who votes but who doesn't vote.”

[Michelle Obama](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/michelle-obama/)

## About This Quote

This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation.

Voting participation matters as much as abstention; both shape outcomes.

**In simple terms:** Voting and not voting both influence elections.

Key Takeaway

Encourage informed civic engagement.

Themes

civic duty politics participation democracy

Mood

motivational thoughtful

Type

political inspirational

When to use this quote

- elections
- community meetings
- school civics classes

Key Concepts

voter turnout political apathy election strategy

Questions to Reflect On

- Why do people choose not to vote?
- How can we reduce voter disengagement?

A Different Perspective

May oversimplify complex reasons for abstention.

★ ★ ★ ★ ★   No ratings yet

[About](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/about/) [Democracy](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/democracy/) [Doesn Vote](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/doesn-vote-488884/) [Election](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/election/) [Elections](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/elections/) [Elections Aren](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/elections-aren-2689165/) [Just](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/just/) [Trump](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/trump/) [Vote](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/vote/) [Votes Doesn](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/votes-doesn-1922743/) [Who](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/who/)

## Related quotes

> [Elections aren't supposed to be for sale... it's that simple.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/david-crosby/elections-aren-t-supposed-to-be-for-sale-it-s-that-simple/)

[David Crosby](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/david-crosby/)

> [Although someone's vote may hurt me by supporting the structures in place that hold people of colour, women, and LGBT+ people down, some people…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/karamo-brown/although-someone-s-vote-may-hurt-me-by-supporting-the-structures-in/)

[Karamo Brown](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/karamo-brown/)

> [I am a voter. I have one vote, yet you're a superdelegate and count for thousands and thousands of votes. That doesn't make any…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jane-o-meara-sanders/i-am-a-voter-i-have-one-vote-yet-you-re-a-superdelegate-and-count-for/)

[Jane O'Meara Sanders](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jane-o-meara-sanders/)

> [Elections aren't about records, they're about plans and choices.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/david-cameron/elections-aren-t-about-records-they-re-about-plans-and-choices/)

[David Cameron](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/david-cameron/)

> [I think it's important for people to believe their elections are on the up and up and they aren't being tampered with by anyone,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/charlie-baker/i-think-it-s-important-for-people-to-believe-their-elections-are-on/)

[Charlie Baker](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/charlie-baker/)

> [“Yes, the elections aren't free and fair. Yes, the 'first past the post' system, coupled with delineation of constituencies and gerrymandering, is a problem.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/brian-yap/yes-the-elections-aren-t-free-and-fair-yes-the-first-past-the-post/)

[Brian Yap](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/brian-yap/)

> [Fear can have a voice, but it doesn't get a vote.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/elizabeth-gilbert/fear-can-have-a-voice-but-it-doesn-t-get-a-vote/)

[Elizabeth Gilbert](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/elizabeth-gilbert/)

> [It's hard to say that something is legitimate when a whole portion of the country can't vote and doesn't vote.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-f-kerry/it-s-hard-to-say-that-something-is-legitimate-when-a-whole-portion-of/)

[John F. Kerry](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-f-kerry/)

> [Ants are good citizens; they place group interest first. But they carry it so far, they have few or no political rights. An ant…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/clarence-day/ants-are-good-citizens-they-place-group-interest-first-but-they-carry/)

[Clarence Day](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/clarence-day/)

> [I don't follow politics; it doesn't interest me. So why should I vote?](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mario-balotelli/i-don-t-follow-politics-it-doesn-t-interest-me-so-why-should-i-vote/)

[Mario Balotelli](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mario-balotelli/)

> [Political operatives don't tend to be existentialists. They do know, however, that if a supporter doesn't vote, then his or her opinion does not…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ari-melber/political-operatives-don-t-tend-to-be-existentialists-they-do-know/)

[Ari Melber](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ari-melber/)

> [“Ballot papers do not define leaders. Leadership is defined by conviction, vision, passion and inspiration.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/israelmore-ayivor/ballot-papers-do-not-define-leaders-leadership-is-defined-by/)

[Israelmore Ayivor](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/israelmore-ayivor/)

> [“Pick a leader who will keep jobs in your country by offering companies incentives to hire only within their borders, not one who allows…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/suzy-kassem/pick-a-leader-who-will-keep-jobs-in-your-country-by-offering/)

[Suzy Kassem](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/suzy-kassem/)

> [Elections are a kind of business. I have to present myself: 'I can do this and that for this area so please give me…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/takafumi-horie/elections-are-a-kind-of-business-i-have-to-present-myself-i-can-do/)

[Takafumi Horie](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/takafumi-horie/)

> [“The real purpose of the opposition is to minimize the amount of money the ruling party will have stolen from the people at the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mokokoma-mokhonoana/the-real-purpose-of-the-opposition-is-to-minimize-the-amount-of-money/)

[Mokokoma Mokhonoana](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mokokoma-mokhonoana/)

## More by Michelle Obama

> [It's hard to change adults, and it's hard to change it from a political position or a perceived political position.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/michelle-obama/it-s-hard-to-change-adults-and-it-s-hard-to-change-it-from-a/)

[Michelle Obama](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/michelle-obama/)

> [ The president \[Barack Obama\] asked for a commitment of, I think, 100,000 jobs for veterans and military spouses over the next couple of years.… ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/michelle-obama/the-president-barack-obama-asked-for-a-commitment-of-i-think-100-000/)

[Michelle Obama](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/michelle-obama/)

> [You work hard for what you want in life.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/michelle-obama/you-work-hard-for-what-you-want-in-life/)

[Michelle Obama](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/michelle-obama/)

> [We must once again come together and stand together for the man we can trust to keep moving this great country forward my husband,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/michelle-obama/we-must-once-again-come-together-and-stand-together-for-the-man-we/)

[Michelle Obama](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/michelle-obama/)

> [We're starting to see, as the economy improves, that the unemployment rate among veterans and military spouses - we're seeing some improvement in those…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/michelle-obama/we-re-starting-to-see-as-the-economy-improves-that-the-unemployment/)

[Michelle Obama](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/michelle-obama/)

> [There's so much going on in the healthcare system that makes it difficult for women to really have a strong economic hold if insurance…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/michelle-obama/there-s-so-much-going-on-in-the-healthcare-system-that-makes-it/)

[Michelle Obama](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/michelle-obama/)

> [In the 10 cities with the nation's highest obesity rates, the direct costs connected with obesity and obesity-related diseases are roughly $50 million per…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/michelle-obama/in-the-10-cities-with-the-nation-s-highest-obesity-rates-the-direct/)

[Michelle Obama](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/michelle-obama/)

> [What I admire most about Hillary is that she never buckles under pressure. She never takes the easy way out. And Hillary Clinton has…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/michelle-obama/what-i-admire-most-about-hillary-is-that-she-never-buckles-under/)

[Michelle Obama](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/michelle-obama/)

> [A lot of young people think they're invincible, but the truth is young people are knuckleheads... Now young people can get insurance for as…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/michelle-obama/a-lot-of-young-people-think-they-re-invincible-but-the-truth-is-young/)

[Michelle Obama](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/michelle-obama/)

> [One of the lessons that I grew up with was to always stay true to yourself and never let what somebody else says distract…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/michelle-obama/one-of-the-lessons-that-i-grew-up-with-was-to-always-stay-true-to/)

[Michelle Obama](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/michelle-obama/)

> [I have never felt more confident in myself, more clear on who I am as a woman. But I am constantly thinking about my…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/michelle-obama/i-have-never-felt-more-confident-in-myself-more-clear-on-who-i-am-as/)

[Michelle Obama](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/michelle-obama/)

> [ We got a commitment that 3 million nurses are going to be trained to better identify these signs \[of PTSD\], because, you know, when… ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/michelle-obama/we-got-a-commitment-that-3-million-nurses-are-going-to-be-trained-to/)

[Michelle Obama](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/michelle-obama/)

> [We're our kids' first and best role models. So the first question is, what are you as a mom or a dad doing every…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/michelle-obama/we-re-our-kids-first-and-best-role-models-so-the-first-question-is/)

[Michelle Obama](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/michelle-obama/)

> [I've always tried to make sure that what I do really connects with the broader agenda of what my husband is trying to do.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/michelle-obama/i-ve-always-tried-to-make-sure-that-what-i-do-really-connects-with/)

[Michelle Obama](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/michelle-obama/)

> [I know from experience that if I truly want to leave a better world for my daughters, and all of our sons and daughters;…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/michelle-obama/i-know-from-experience-that-if-i-truly-want-to-leave-a-better-world/)

[Michelle Obama](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/michelle-obama/)

[Explore all 504 Michelle Obama quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/michelle-obama/)

## More About quotes

> [If you ask an introvert a question, wait until she thinks about it. Introverts think before speaking, not through speaking. If you want to…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/laurie-helgoe/if-you-ask-an-introvert-a-question-wait-until-she-thinks-about-it/)

[Laurie Helgoe](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/laurie-helgoe/)

> [Joking about violence is not funny.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/perez-hilton/joking-about-violence-is-not-funny/)

[Perez Hilton](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/perez-hilton/)

> [I talk to my mates about our kids, being too tired and being worn out.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/holly-willoughby/i-talk-to-my-mates-about-our-kids-being-too-tired-and-being-worn-out/)

[Holly Willoughby](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/holly-willoughby/)

> [With 'Pretty Girls,' I saw the opportunity to talk not just about crime but what crime leaves behind.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/karin-slaughter/with-pretty-girls-i-saw-the-opportunity-to-talk-not-just-about-crime/)

[Karin Slaughter](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/karin-slaughter/)

> [I write about presidents. That means I write about guys - so far. I'm interested in the people closest to them, the people they…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/doris-kearns-goodwin/i-write-about-presidents-that-means-i-write-about-guys-so-far-i-m/)

[Doris Kearns Goodwin](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/doris-kearns-goodwin/)

> [That's something a lot of folks don't know about me - I'm pretty darn funny.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/michael-jai-white/that-s-something-a-lot-of-folks-don-t-know-about-me-i-m-pretty-darn/)

[Michael Jai White](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/michael-jai-white/)

> [I learned a lot about myself at Oakmont.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/shane-lowry/i-learned-a-lot-about-myself-at-oakmont/)

[Shane Lowry](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/shane-lowry/)

> [I don't think about the press or the crowds or the other leaders of the race. The focus is only on myself. As soon…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/magdalena-neuner/i-don-t-think-about-the-press-or-the-crowds-or-the-other-leaders-of/)

[Magdalena Neuner](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/magdalena-neuner/)

> [Sport is not just about entertainment. It is equally about winning and losing, pooling and galvanising the energy of the youth, upgrading people's physical…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/nita-ambani/sport-is-not-just-about-entertainment-it-is-equally-about-winning-and/)

[Nita Ambani](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/nita-ambani/)

> [One of the ways that I discovered my confidence and my ability to overpower is becoming a mother. Suddenly, my world wasn't about myself…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/lights/one-of-the-ways-that-i-discovered-my-confidence-and-my-ability-to/)

[Lights](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/lights/)

> [I didn't want to do 'Fashion Police' because I thought, 'This is stupid, this is beneath me, who wants to talk about fashion?' It…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/joan-rivers/i-didn-t-want-to-do-fashion-police-because-i-thought-this-is-stupid/)

[Joan Rivers](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/joan-rivers/)

> [I just worried about my weight. Worried about my appearance and thought I wan't pretty enough to be a pop star. It was very…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/judith-durham/i-just-worried-about-my-weight-worried-about-my-appearance-and/)

[Judith Durham](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/judith-durham/)

> [I read a couple of books about neuroscience and the relationship between the mind and the body.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/joel-kinnaman/i-read-a-couple-of-books-about-neuroscience-and-the-relationship/)

[Joel Kinnaman](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/joel-kinnaman/)

> [There are a lot of kids out there copying and distributing movies - not because they care about seeing the movies or sharing them…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-perry-barlow/there-are-a-lot-of-kids-out-there-copying-and-distributing-movies-not/)

[John Perry Barlow](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-perry-barlow/)

> [I have no physical genius about me. I can't dribble a ball and run at the same time, I can't do lay-ups - I'm…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/rich-mullins/i-have-no-physical-genius-about-me-i-can-t-dribble-a-ball-and-run-at/)

[Rich Mullins](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/rich-mullins/)

[Browse all 26,122 About quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/about/)

```json
{
    "@context": "https://schema.org",
    "@graph": [
        {
            "@type": "Quotation",
            "text": "Elections aren't just about who votes but who doesn't vote.",
            "creator": {
                "@type": "Person",
                "name": "Michelle Obama"
            },
            "isPartOf": {
                "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#website"
            },
            "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/michelle-obama/elections-aren-t-just-about-who-votes-but-who-doesn-t-vote/",
            "about": {
                "@type": "Thing",
                "name": "About"
            },
            "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/michelle-obama/elections-aren-t-just-about-who-votes-but-who-doesn-t-vote/#quotation",
            "image": {
                "@type": "ImageObject",
                "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/747/michelle-obama-518_about_elections-aren-t-just-about-who-votes-bu_276099.jpg",
                "contentUrl": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/747/michelle-obama-518_about_elections-aren-t-just-about-who-votes-bu_276099.jpg",
                "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/747/michelle-obama-518_about_elections-aren-t-just-about-who-votes-bu_276099.jpg",
                "width": 1080,
                "height": 1080,
                "caption": "“Elections aren't just about who votes but who doesn't vote.” — Michelle Obama",
                "creditText": "SMS4Smile Quotes",
                "creator": {
                    "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#organization"
                }
            }
        },
        {
            "@type": "BreadcrumbList",
            "itemListElement": [
                {
                    "@type": "ListItem",
                    "position": 1,
                    "name": "Home",
                    "item": "https://sms4smile.com/"
                },
                {
                    "@type": "ListItem",
                    "position": 2,
                    "name": "Quotes",
                    "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/"
                },
                {
                    "@type": "ListItem",
                    "position": 3,
                    "name": "Michelle Obama",
                    "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/michelle-obama/"
                },
                {
                    "@type": "ListItem",
                    "position": 4,
                    "name": "Elections aren't just about who votes...",
                    "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/michelle-obama/elections-aren-t-just-about-who-votes-but-who-doesn-t-vote/"
                }
            ],
            "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/michelle-obama/elections-aren-t-just-about-who-votes-but-who-doesn-t-vote/#breadcrumb"
        },
        {
            "@type": "WebSite",
            "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#website",
            "name": "SMS4Smile Quotes",
            "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/",
            "publisher": {
                "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#organization"
            }
        },
        {
            "@type": "Organization",
            "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#organization",
            "name": "SMS4Smile Quotes",
            "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/",
            "logo": {
                "@type": "ImageObject",
                "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/wp-content/themes/sq/assets/icons/icon-512.png",
                "width": 512,
                "height": 512
            }
        }
    ]
}
```
