To say that 2024 will be a consequential year is an understatement. Every election year holds consequences for voters. Having an active voice in local and state political affairs affects the way a community supports itself and thrives on all levels. For some to say that abstaining from voting ensures that politicians will be more inclined to listen to the demands of a certain minority, or that voting is meaningless, is a flawed analysis. Voting affects every aspect of American life. From the railroad crossing sign to building codes, voting has a broad significance that should not be overlooked and the ramifications for not participating can affect subsequent generations.

Is it too soon to address the topic of voter registration and participation? Hardly. African Americans in Florida and across the country should be aware that 11 months from this week there will be two names on the presidential ballot: President Joseph R. Biden and Donald J. Trump. Polls suggest that Trump will win his party’s nomination this summer. That means 2024 will be a rewind of the 2020 campaign, with significant adjustments. America will have a choice this year that is unprecedented in American history: the selection of a presidential candidate who has multiple state and federal indictments and has been accused of instigating an insurrection. This will indeed be a first time that on a federal level such an event has occurred, however, it will not be an American phenomenon to place subversives or insurrectionists into political office.

Wilmington, NC has that specific notoriety, where insurrectionists rioted 1898. Key instigators would later hold substantial roles in local, state, and federal government. So to assume that American voters would withhold their support from an accused insurrectionist such as former president Trump is far-fetched.

Attend any Make America Great Again (MAGA) rally and it becomes obvious that Democrats have an uphill battle this important election season. Trump and MAGA Republicans have been campaigning for a year and their messaging has been the same, loud and clear. But Democrats, on the other hand, seemingly do not have a united platform that will stimulate their base to head to the polls in November. What can Democrats do? Here is a strategy the Democratic Party can implement this beginning week in January to assure success in approximately 11 months:

Discard former First Lady Michelle Obama’s “when they go low, we go high” approach is the first thing Democrats must do. It is implausible in this toxic MAGA environment. When Republicans go low with misinformation, lies and debunked conspiracy theories, Democrats must be quick to address the issues head-on, correcting the misinformation with facts, and then aggressively volley the response to voters and the MAGA machine. The key word is “aggressively.” If Democrats are not willing to get dirty and fight for what they believe is the “soul” of this country, where will the motivation that translates into votes extend from? Playing nice in this political climate is only going to get Democrats so far. Take a page out of California Gov. Gavin Newsome’s debate playbook and run it on a national level. Newsome was not afraid to get in the weeds during his much-publicized debate with Gov. Ron DeSantis last month. Democrats must go hard at MAGA Republicans at every turn, in real time.

Simultaneously Democrats must work on their messaging. Political parties always develop messaging that will target the core beliefs of their respective parties. Like MAGA Republicans threw their base subliminal and not-so-subliminal dog whistles such as “critical race theory,” “Second Amendment,” and “Make America great again,” Democrats must step up their messaging. What is it that will appeal to not only to Democrats, but also to Independents? How can the messaging target minorities in this country? What is essentially on the line for Democrats if they were to lose in November? That is the key component of good messaging. Take the pulse of all Democrats, especially young voters between ages 18 and 35. Find out what will motivate them all the way to the polls. How did MAGA Republicans successfully launch their tirade against transgender rights, critical race theory, diversity and equity, along with book banning? It’s all in the messaging and how it is dispensed.

The third suggested strategy centers around their base. Whom does the Democratic Party appeal to? What does the party look like in the 21st century? During the Obama years it was plain to see who and what the Democratic Party comprised. The Biden administration has a messaging problem, and it is unclear who its target base is. For clarification, Democrats must strongly include women and those who stand for reproductive rights, African Americans, and all minorities at the center of voting rights, universal health care, the protection of Social Security, the elimination of food insecurity and poverty, and the protection of all freedoms under the Constitution. How about noting how this country was near the brink of authoritarianism in 2020 with Trump primed to be a dictator? Who will protect democracy?

Democrats would do well to push these questions into the forefront of 2024. Tthis will energize and attract more voters to shore up its base. Turn the message into one that everyone can support and relate to in some form. If Democrats strategize now, 11 months out from November, there is a strong possibility MAGA Republicans and Donald Trump will suffer a devastating defeat. Democrats cannot continue stumbling and fumbling in the dark.