Voting is a blunt instrument; it's effective, but it's a poor signal. It says only one thing: I want this entity to wield power. If you want to sue someone, you don't become a judge, you bring a lawsuit.

If you want to cause political change, you need to bring something into the public discourse; make it known to the politicians and the electorate. People do this by writing their politicians, getting media attention, organising or joining political action groups, backing candidates, or even going into politics themselves.