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'How To Get Away With Murder' Star Has Perfect Advice For Upset Bernie Fans

by Alexandra Svokos
REUTERS

If you're feeling upset Bernie Sanders is not the Democratic presidential nominee, you're not alone.

Along with the protesters outside the Democratic National Convention, there are people here in Philadelphia missing the Bern.

Kendrick Sampson, star of "How to Get Away with Murder" and "The Vampire Diaries," is also an activist who was outspoken for the Bernie Sanders campaign.

Elite Daily met Sampson at Rock the Vote's "Truth to Power" programming in Philadelphia and asked him about his advice for Bernie fans. Sampson said,

I am not going to be one of those people who say, 'Make sure you go and vote for Hillary.' I cannot tell people how to vote. I can tell people what I'm doing, which is pushing for policy -- pushing for good policy that I believe in -- and holding my politicians accountable. I'm specifically targeting the local officials. But more than anything right now, we have a national platform, so if you care about anything, push the Democratic party to champion those ideals and have strong language addressing those issues, and then hold them accountable until November.

Sampson emphasized you have options and don't have to make a decision right now, even if it may seem urgent. He explained,

You can write in anybody, you can do whatever you want. But for now, most people believe there's the option of Hillary or Trump. If you're not voting for Trump, you vote for Hillary and if you're not voting for Hillary, you vote for Trump. That's not the way that this works.

And although he said he wouldn't tell you what to do, he did have one command. Sampson said,

I said that I wouldn't tell people how to vote -- but don't vote for that man. Push for policy reform, and then when we get to the polls, research the candidates, see what they have to say about the things that you love, and vote with your heart.
Don't vote for hate. Vote with your heart. Don't vote for hate.

If you're someone who's not happy with the way things are (from any angle and any fan base), there are still a lot of things you can do to get involved.

First and foremost, Sampson said, register to vote, make your friends register to vote and then go do the damn thing in November. Although our generation has a lot of activism and protests, we're not always the best at actually voting.

He told Elite Daily,

The same spirit of activism that's been taking over this country, especially with young people, we need to bring that activism to the polls and say we're not going to leave until our voice is heard.

Sampson also suggested getting involved as a poll worker or volunteer, saying you can push for policy at all levels if you do your research. He said it's especially important to get involved if you speak more than one language, so you could help more people out.

Voto Latino also launched an app, VoterPal, which makes it super easy for you to register to vote.

If you're concerned about voter suppression and voting laws, you should start working now to change them for the next election, Sampson suggested.

But no matter what, he said,

There will be long lines and there will be problems at the polls. That is guaranteed. But plan for that day. You have 5 months until November to plan for that day to go out and make your voice heard.

You heard him!