Life — October 19, 1928 — page 4: what you’re looking at

What you’re looking at

# "Speak Up!" – 1928 Voter Turnout Campaign This is a **public service advertisement**, not satire. Published by Metropolitan Life Insurance Company, it urges Americans to vote in the 1928 presidential election (November 6th). The **central image is the Statue of Liberty**, symbolizing democratic duty and American citizenship. **The argument:** Only 49% of eligible voters participated in 1920. The text shames non-voters, claiming that low turnout allows unscrupulous politicians to seize power. It warns that "one-half of the voters" allowing a minority to govern is dangerous—the majority's will becomes unrepresented. The piece frames voting as a civic **responsibility and patriotic obligation**, not merely a right. It's essentially a "get out the vote" campaign emphasizing that democracy requires participation.