As we ease into our roles in our own democracy, we generally acquire storybook understandings of how representative government works. The general convention we assume is that if we want things put into action through legislation, we vote for the people we believe will enact that legislation. We put our trust and confidence in those who will translate our collective desires and protect our instabilities and vital needs.

Unfortunately, it increasingly seems to be the norm for legislators to take the reins of their congressional power to enact legislation completely discordant with voter demand.

Here in Missouri, for example, voters approved Proposition B, a bill that would place regulations on commercial dog breeding facilities to ensure the humane handling of animals. However, less than a year later, the Missouri House of Representatives decided to ignore voter intent, overturning Proposition B and therefore releasing all voter-approved regulations on factory farmers.

Moreover, the Missouri House voted to cap Missouri’s minimum wage at the federal minimum level. The bill, passed in March, fundamentally reverses voter-approved initiatives to have the minimum wage level adjust alongside inflation.

That legislators are routinely ignoring voter intent and patronizing voter impact is troubling to us, both as students and as active members in our democracy. Voters approving legislation is not just for show. It is not just a requisite function of democracy that means nothing more than statistics at the end of an election.

It is the responsibility of our legislators to translate voter response into action that actually represents their desires. It is not the responsibility of our legislators to tell us what’s best for us if democracy functions on our own voices, our own votes.

Although it is unfortunate for the Missouri House of Representatives to overturn voter-approved legislation, it is important to remember that our democratic activity is not restricted just to our polling places. More often than not, our legislators are accessible through letters and emails, and we certainly have the potential to demand visibility and honesty throughout the legislative season.

Even more so, we must not be complacent when listening to campaign promises. Rather than being passive listeners to what often ends up being simple lip service, we should demand concrete answers and honest intentions from those who we put in office. Without holding legislators in check, we increase the possibility that they will ignore our needs and votes.