Politics is the struggle. Look at the decisions that determine public policies and the allocation of goods and resources. Politics is the struggle over these decisions. The methods by which we struggle, the tactics we use, are varied. Elections are one form of political struggle.
Voting is one form of political struggle.
Lobbying is a form. Litigation can be a form. Direct action is a form. Disruption can be a form. Empowerment is a process that individuals go through, organizations go through, and communities go through.