By Therese Agbetiafa and Jorge Rodriguez

Certain identities come with certain social advantages. Not just small everyday privileges, but deeper ones that determine the risks people face when political decisions are made. The impact of a decision like the reversal of Roe v. Wade or the launch of a mass deportation campaign can depend on a person’s demographic. 

Single-issue voting is when a voter casts a ballot for a politician based on their feelings on one particular political issue or idea. For some, a single issue does not define their way of voting, while others reject partisan loyalty. 

In interviews with nearly a dozen people in Princeton, New Jersey, it became clear that a voter’s identity heavily influences their voting behavior, and their incentive to be a single-issue voter. 

“My background belies what people would think my voting ways are,” said Jordan Denning, a white man. “There are many elections where I do not like anybody running. So I don’t touch it… [I] just do my own thing.” Denning’s voting decisions reflect how he doesn’t always feel personally engaged in politics. 

Carolyn Galayda and Becca Goldman feel that as members of the LGBTQ community, their rights are particularly vulnerable. The couple votes with one goal in mind: Whichever candidate represents the underrepresented wins their vote.  

“We do look a lot at the opinions of the League of Women’s Voters… We’re gay, so we also have a lot of concern about that issue,” Goldman said. She and Galaya favor candidates who consider the rights of vulnerable voters in most, if not all, contexts. 

“So often I feel like I’m voting to not have the bad choice… I don’t want to lose my vote,” Goldman said. 

The sense of obligation to vote for the “lesser evil” was widespread amongst interviewees. 

Zain Shahabuddih, 26, brought a new perspective to the conversation, one of a young person who feels their impact is limited. Like Denning, Shahabuddih is not always motivated to vote. Not necessarily because he isn’t a vulnerable voter, but because he’s demotivated by the candidates. 

“If I were to vote, I would like to vote for one who was the lesser evil,” he said. “I [have] kind of been disenchanted with a lot of options.” 

Shahabuddih is not a single-issue voter by definition; in fact, he’s barely a voter at all. “I vote when it makes an impact,” he says. But he acknowledged that his background influences his values and how he votes. Shahabuddih may not vote in every election, but when he chooses to vote, he votes for candidates he believes can uplift his community. 

Ultimately, the question isn’t whether or not single-issue voting is the right way to go, but whether U.S. voters can unite across identity lines.