Award-winning actress, producer, and activist Kerry Washington joined host Dr. Dee Dawkins-Haigler on the Wake Up With Dee Morning Show to deliver an impassioned call to action on Election Day. Dialing in early from the West Coast, Washington made it clear that when it comes to deciding the future of our communities, sitting on the sidelines is simply not an option.
Why Georgia Holds the Key
Opening the conversation, Dawkins-Haigler asked Washington why showing up in this election matters so urgently.
“Georgia is where all the magic can happen today,” Washington said, noting that voters across the state are making pivotal decisions for offices including Governor, U.S. Senate, Secretary of State, and Attorney General. For Washington, the stakes extend far beyond names on a ballot; they directly impact the everyday lives of families.
“If your vote didn’t count, there wouldn’t be such an effort to limit your vote, to quiet your vote, to take your voice away,” Washington emphasized, pointing to the generational struggles endured to secure the ballot. “We have elders who have died for the right to vote. We have people in our direct bloodline who were not able to vote, who fought for us to be able to vote, because our vote is our voice—it’s our power.”
Washington pushed back against the idea that politics is distant or abstract. From healthcare and the cost of living to education, public infrastructure, and the justice system, she stressed that governance touches every single household.
You Have More Power Than Olivia Pope
Addressing the debate over whether public figures and entertainers should weigh in on civic issues, Washington offered a grounded perspective: democracy requires everyone to participate.
“We pay these government officials,” she noted, comparing elected leaders to employees hired by the taxpayers. “I’m not going to be out here paying people to do a job poorly for me. ... You need to vote to make sure that the people who are doing the job are doing it for you.”
Drawing on her iconic role as political fixer Olivia Pope in Scandal, Washington reminded listeners that real-world change does not come from television heroes.
“For over 10 years now, if a crisis happens in this country, people say, ‘Olivia Pope, you have to fix this!’” Washington laughed. “And I always want to say to people: you have more power than Olivia Pope. Olivia Pope is a character on television, but she can’t actually vote. She can’t actually volunteer. She can’t knock on doors. She can’t drive her neighbor to the polls. You can actually make a difference ... in a way that Olivia Pope never could.”
Staying in the Game
When asked for her final words of motivation for voters heading out to cast their ballots, Washington offered two core pieces of advice:
- Stay in the game even after setbacks: “If you leave the game after one loss in baseball, you don’t make it to the World Series,” Washington explained, urging voters to remain politically engaged regardless of past election outcomes. “When you are a champion, you have to stay in the game. You don’t get to win the long game if you quit.”
- Treat voting as an act of self-love: Washington reminded listeners that voters do not have to be enamored with every politician to make their voices heard. “A candidate is like a bus: you choose the one that gets you closest to your destination. It’s not about loving your candidate; it’s about loving yourself, your family, your community ... voting is an act of love.”
Key Voter Resources & Broadcast Info
- Need a ride to your polling place? Call the ride line at 877-524-VOTE (877-524-8683).
- Experiencing voter intimidation or issues at the polls? Report incidents immediately to the nonpartisan Election Protection hotline at 866-OUR-VOTE (866-687-8683).
- Listen live: Tune into the Wake Up With Dee Morning Show with Dr. Dee Dawkins-Haigler, Monday through Friday from 7:00 AM to 10:00 AM on News & Talk WAOK or stream anytime on the Audacy app.
The acclaimed actress talks with Dr. Dee Dawkins-Haigler about why Georgia voters have more power than Olivia Pope, overcoming election fatigue, and making their voices heard at the ballot box.
The acclaimed actress talks with Dr. Dee Dawkins-Haigler about why Georgia voters have more power than Olivia Pope, overcoming election fatigue, and making their voices heard at the ballot box.
