In What is to be Done Lenin says that Communists should participate in Bourgeois electoralism as a route for making themselves and their views known to the general public. It's notable that he did not say to do this in order to gain power. Although concessions can be gained through electoral politics this is not the goal of revolutionary marxism and the energy of our party should not be used for this purpose. In order to improve the material conditions of the working class in a way that is favorable to our movement we must make a political vanguard that directly addresses the needs of working people through the creation of parallel institutions (think mutual aid, education like the black panthers did, etc.).

In short, bourgeois electoralism is a popularity contest that lets us be seen but nothing more.