Every election season, we hear the same tired mantra: “Vote like your rights depend on it.” Eligible voters show up, cast our ballots and cross our fingers while we watch the counts being announced.

However, when the results disappoint — or nothing seems to shift — we’re left gobsmacked.

Democracy isn’t broken because people aren’t voting hard enough. It’s faltering because voting is being treated as the only thing that matters.

Our system of democracy has devolved in recent years, turning into the ballot box and the backseat — people go to the polls, cast their vote, then take a seat and wait for someone else to bring them to their intended destination. This was never what our system of government was intended to be; rather, it was meant to give the power to the governed.

The real crisis in American politics is not about voter turnout; it’s about what happens before and after we vote. Each day, we are losing power because we aren’t taking the wheel and directing it to where we want to go.

While it is a crucial part of our system, voting is also episodic — that is, voting only happens once a year. The majority of people don’t vote in non-presidential elections, further reducing this frequency to once every four years. This makes the impact of voting nowhere near as powerful as actual civic engagement.

There are other forms of civic engagement that have a much more substantial impact than voting.

One of these is simply joining the campaign of a candidate for office. It may not seem like much, but every single person on a campaign, whether it be for a candidate for county commissioner or the U.S. Senate, matters.

Another powerful form of engagement is simply showing up. Attend a city council meeting, a school board session or a budget hearing in your county to learn more about the decisions that are being made that impact your daily life.

In Raleigh, city council meetings are broadcast online and open to the public. This is a great way to get to know the individuals making the decisions that will most impact your daily lives.

The people in the room often shape the outcome, and the seats are usually empty.

Another more obscure action that qualifies as civic engagement is participation in jury duty. Simple, right? By including yourself in the crucial processes of the judicial system, you are able to make your voice heard in how you want the law to be executed.

These small acts of engagement might not make headlines, but they’re essential. A single juror can shift the outcome of a trial. A handful of citizens showing up to a local zoning meeting can redirect the development of an entire neighborhood.

Often, people give up on policy initiatives when their candidate is not elected into office. Instead of losing hope, look into joining an interest group that lobbies for policies similar to what you are interested in — from this, you will find a group of people who are just as dedicated to using their civic powers to bring about change.

Civic engagement can also mean working with community organizations that address systemic issues — like food insecurity, housing justice, education equity or public health. Whether you’re organizing a mutual aid network or staffing a voter registration table, you’re directly improving civic life and expanding who has access to it.

One of the most important ways to remain engaged civically is to be an informed citizen. Read the news, keep up with what is happening in Congress and never ignore the government that was made to serve you.

Additionally, reach out to the people who represent you — not just your national representative, but your local and state government representatives, too — and be sure that they are informed on what their constituents want prioritized.

Democracy isn’t a transaction; it’s a symbiotic relationship. And like any relationship, it requires time, effort and attention.

Voting is only the beginning. What really matters is what we do after we begin taking action. Our government can only reflect the will of the people if the people are engaged beyond Election Day. Otherwise, someone else will fill the silence.

So yes — vote like your rights depend on it. But more importantly, act like they do.