There is no “alternative” to voting. Your voice should be heard. In order for that to happen, you need to participate. Voting is how you do that. If you choose not to vote, then you are choosing not to contribute your voice to the direction of the society that you live in. How can you justify complaining about the direction it goes in, if you do not make the most basic effort to participate?

That said, there is more that you can do. The next most effective thing you can do beyond voting yourself is organize other people to vote. This can start with just your family, or your classroom, or your coworkers. Arrange rides to get people to polling places. Check in with people and encourage them to get out and vote. Volunteer with a local voter support group. Maybe even volunteer as a poll worker.

How do we know that voting works? Because Republicans work so hard to prevent people from doing it. Anyone spreading the idea that voting doesn’t work is complicit with the goals of voter suppression.