5 Laws Passed While You Doomscrolled

No cap, while you were doomscrolling through your third hour of TikTok, some absolutely unhinged laws got passed in local and state governments across America. And the craziest part? Most of these elections had less than 20% voter turnout. That means 80% of people just... didn't care enough to vote.

Let me show you what happens when you skip the ballot box and let your weird uncle be the only one voting.

"Democracy is two wolves and a lamb voting on what to have for lunch. But it's worse when the lamb doesn't even show up."

1. The Gas Stove Ban (Yes, They're Coming for Your Kitchen)

New York became the first state to ban gas stoves in new buildings starting in 2026. Not incentivize electric. Not recommend alternatives. Straight-up banned gas hookups in new construction. California and other blue states are following suit.

The reasoning? "Climate change and health concerns." The reality? They literally want to force you to use expensive electric appliances that cost more to run and suck for cooking. Ask any chef—gas stoves are objectively better. But apparently, unelected bureaucrats know better than professional cooks.

The vote that started this? A state assembly bill that passed with barely any public input. Voter turnout in those assembly races? Like 15%. So now if you want to build a house in New York, you can't have a gas stove. All because people were too busy arguing on Twitter to actually vote. Lock in next time, or enjoy your mid electric range.

2. Dead People Winning Elections (Not a Conspiracy Theory)

In 2018, Dennis Hof—owner of a legal brothel in Nevada—won his election for state assembly. Plot twist? He died three weeks before Election Day. He still won by 36 percentage points because nobody bothered to vote for the living candidate.

Nevada literally elected a corpse. They had to appoint someone else to fill the seat anyway. The voters just saw the "R" next to his name and said "good enough." This is what happens when people vote based on vibes instead of, you know, actually paying attention.

The kicker? Voter turnout in that district was only 32%. So 68% of people couldn't be bothered to show up, and now they're represented by... a replacement for a dead guy. Democracy is bussin', folks.

3. Red Flag Laws (Goodbye, Due Process)

In 2023, multiple states quietly passed "red flag" gun laws that let cops confiscate your firearms without a criminal conviction. Someone just has to report you as "dangerous"—an ex, a bitter neighbor, literally anyone—and boom, your guns get taken before you even get a court date.

Now look, if someone's genuinely a threat, sure. But the problem? These laws have almost zero due process protections. You don't get to defend yourself before they show up at your door. You have to prove you're not dangerous after the fact, which is literally guilty until proven innocent.

How'd these pass? State legislatures with abysmal voter turnout in primary elections. Gun rights orgs tried to sound the alarm, but most people didn't even know these bills existed until after they were law. Now 21 states have red flag laws on the books, and your 2A rights can get yeeted based on someone's feelings. This is what happens when you don't show up to vote.

4. Soft-on-Crime DAs (Catch and Release, But for Criminals)

Los Angeles, San Francisco, Philadelphia, New York—all elected District Attorneys who literally refuse to prosecute theft under $1,000, most drug crimes, and tons of violent offenses. The result? Repeat offenders get arrested and released the same day, only to commit more crimes. It's basically GTA but IRL.

In San Francisco, shoplifting became so bad that Walgreens closed 17 stores. In LA, smash-and-grab robberies became a daily occurrence. Why? Because the DAs—who got elected with like 12% voter turnout—decided "criminal justice reform" means not prosecuting criminals. Bold strategy.

The voters who DID show up? Mostly activist types who think crime is a "social construct." Meanwhile, normal people are getting their cars broken into weekly and wondering why nothing changes. Maybe vote next time? DA elections matter, and they're decided by literally thousands of votes. Show up or live in Gotham without Batman.

5. Trans Athletes in Women's Sports (RIP Fair Competition)

Multiple states passed laws forcing schools to let biological males compete in women's sports if they identify as female. We're talking state-level mandates, pushed through by legislators nobody voted for because nobody showed up to vote in those races.

The consequences? Female athletes getting crushed by competitors with male physiology. Scholarships going to biological males. Women's records being shattered by people who went through male puberty. And if you complain? You're labeled a bigot and kicked off the team.

Connecticut, for example, had two biological males dominate girls' track and field for years, winning 15 state championships that should've gone to actual women. The girls who got second place tried to fight it legally and got dragged through the mud. All because the wrong people got elected to state legislatures, and voter turnout was abysmal. This is the consequence of skipping local elections—your daughter loses her scholarship to someone who shouldn't even be in her division.

Why This Keeps Happening

Here's the thing. Local elections have insanely low turnout. We're talking 10-20% in most places. That means a handful of motivated people—usually retirees, special interest groups, or people with way too much time—get to decide everything.

They show up to city council meetings. They vote in every single election. And they pass laws that affect YOU, whether you like it or not. Meanwhile, 80% of young people don't even know when local elections are happening. Then they wonder why their rent is through the roof, their streets are terrible, and they can't park anywhere without getting towed.

"If you don't vote, someone else will. And they probably have opinions about your guns, your stove, and your daughter's sports team."

The "It Doesn't Matter" Cope

I already know what you're thinking. "My vote doesn't matter." "The system is rigged." "Politicians are all the same." Cool story. But the people banning your gas stove and passing red flag laws? They think their vote matters. And they're right.

Local elections are decided by hundreds of votes—sometimes dozens. School board elections, city councils, county commissioners—these are the people who decide your property taxes, your zoning laws, whether your street gets paved or not. And they win because nobody else shows up.

What You Can Actually Do

Look, I'm not gonna lecture you about civic duty or whatever. But if you don't want your city banning random stuff because 15 boomers showed up to a meeting, here's what you do:

1. Find out when your local elections are. Google "[your city] election dates" right now. Put them in your calendar. Set a reminder. Make it happen.

2. Actually vote in them. Yeah, it's annoying. Yeah, you have to research candidates. But it takes like 20 minutes, and you prevent your city from doing dumb stuff.

3. Show up to city council meetings if something affects you. They're public. You can literally just walk in and speak. Most cities let you comment for 2-3 minutes. Use it.

4. Get your friends to vote. Group chat it. Make it a thing. "Hey we're all voting Tuesday, meet at my place then we'll grab food after." Make democracy social.

The Doomscrolling Has Consequences

Every hour you spend scrolling through TikTok discourse about national politics, your local government is passing laws that actually affect your life. The president doesn't decide your parking tickets. Congress doesn't set your property taxes. Your city council does. Your school board does. And they're counting on you not showing up.

So yeah, you can keep doomscrolling. You can keep complaining that "voting doesn't matter." But don't be surprised when your state bans gas stoves, passes red flag laws without due process, or lets violent criminals walk free. Because that's what happens when 80% of people decide democracy is too much work.

Bottom Line

These laws are real. They happened because people didn't vote. And they're going to keep happening unless you actually show up. It's not complicated—it's just effort. And I get it, effort is mid. But you know what's more mid? Losing your guns without due process because your ex filed a red flag complaint.

So maybe just vote? The midterms are coming. Local elections are always coming. If you don't, someone's weird uncle will. And he has opinions about your lifestyle. Don't let him be the only one at the ballot box.

Anyway, that's the rant. Lock in, show up, and for the love of God, stop electing dead people. We can do better. Probably.