Heather Cox Richardson
Historian of American politics who teaches at Boston College and specializes in the Civil War, Reconstruction and the American West.
“That's the way you change American politics is you talk to your neighbors and not say you're an idiot or you need to change the way you vote. You say, hey, are you aware that there is a private prison going in next to our elementary school? And I've got a real issue with that. And that's what makes people show up.”
Pivot (Kara Swisher & Scott Galloway) · Tech Strategy & Big Tech · October 2026
A listener asked how to reach the roughly 80 million eligible Americans who didn't vote in the last presidential election. Richardson points to the 1890 midterms, one of the biggest shifts in American history, when organizers went into farm and working districts and neighbors told each other what was happening.
Transcript
…up, that's it. As you say, they are not mutually exclusive, that that's how you create a successful economy. Unfortunately, that's pretty much what Biden tried to do, and he ended up getting destroyed for it. So whether or not another politician will think it's a good idea is an open question.
So we'll do one more question here. Kristen says or asks: 80 million eligible voters, 80 million eligible voters did not vote in the last presidential election. How can we foment some sort of meaningful change here?
…history, was that once people paid attention to the fact that the policies were unequal and were favoring railroad industries and industrialists over ordinary people, they got out there and voted. And simply showing up made the difference. But what made them show up was being informed about what was really happening by their neighbors. And that I think we're seeing around the country, but that's the way you change American politics is you talk to your neighbors and not say you're an idiot or you need to change the way you vote. You say, hey, are you aware that there is a private prison going in next to our elementary school? And I've got a real issue with that. And that's what makes people show up. And it does work.
Yeah, I have one more idea on how to increase turnout, and that is Heather Cox Richardson. I'm not exaggerating. When I just did this live podcast tour, every time we referenced your name or sourced you, the crowd would erupt into applause. I really hope that you hit the campaign trail. You've…
I will, but I just want to point out when I said that about Lincoln being created by the people, that's all I do. Like my name is the symbol for this popular movement. I am the most average person you have ever met, I promise you. But I am able to voice what people are feeling because I know how to…
Heather Cox Richardson is a historian at Boston College. By the way, another side note: just finished a college tour with my son, went to eight schools. Hands down, the nicest, warmest vibe was at BC. You guys are doing something right there. Yeah, they totally are. They do. They do a great job.…
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