How To Be An Active Gun Sense Voter in 2024

Your no-nonsense guide to using your time, voice, & vote to support safer communities

What’s at stake this election cycle?

Our movement has made historic progress on gun safety. We’ve transformed it from a third rail issue to one that voters from all different political points of view prioritize and on which candidates run winning campaigns. Together, we passed the most significant federal gun safety legislation in a generation, the Bipartisan Safer Communities Act, as well as thousands of strong state- and local-level gun safety laws. 

But to protect the progress we’ve made and continue pushing forward, we have to keep electing leaders who will address this crisis with the urgency it deserves. That includes upholding our existing gun safety laws and passing new ones that will help make our communities safer.  

This election is too important for us to sit on the sidelines: Our safety, democracy, and freedoms are all on the ballot. We shouldn’t have to live in constant fear of gun violence in our homes, schools, houses of worship, parks, and supermarkets. But right now, unfortunately, that’s the America we live in. Every day in this country, more than 120 people are killed with guns, more than 200 people are shot and wounded, and countless others are traumatized by witnessing gun violence. Guns are now the leading cause of death for children, teens, and young adults.

This crisis affects ALL of us, whether we’re Republicans, Democrats, or Independents; gun owners or non-gun owners; or whether we live in big cities, small towns, or rural communities. We know we need urgent action to protect our families, but we continue to see politicians refuse to act. Even worse, some choose to cater to extremists and side with the gun industry over the folks in their own districts. 

This heartache and inaction ends with US. If we all get involved in these elections, the reality of America can—and will—be different. The vast majority of Americans want to see meaningful change to make our communities safer. Background checks on all gun sales, for example, are supported by a near-universal 93% of American voters, including 89% of Republicans. It’s clear that gun violence prevention is not a red or blue issue, it’s a life-or-death issue. And when all of us come together, we have the power to elect leaders from every party who will work to end gun violence. 

Who is a Gun Sense Voter?

A Gun Sense Voter is someone who is committed to prioritizing gun safety as a top issue when they consider who to vote for, no matter their party affiliation. But our commitment to gun sense isn’t limited to Election Day. 

Even before we enter the voting booth, there are easy actions we can all take to raise awareness about gun violence prevention. We can challenge candidates to make real plans to protect our communities, support Gun Sense Candidates running for office at every level of government—and hold elected officials accountable for the promises they make after Election Day. That’s what we call being an active Gun Sense Voter, and that’s where this guide comes in. 

Are you a Gun Sense Voter? Tell us why!

How can I get involved?

Thank you for all of your efforts to elect gun sense champions and make your communities safer. Together, we WILL end gun violence.