The creationists do think that science is a democratic process.
Well, who told them that? Lets see . . . how does it work? You have a governing authority of some kind . . . a commission; a board; a legislature. Sometimes appointed by an elected authority; sometimes elected directly; created by certain political processes from as simple an initiative as a policy or a law, to as fundamental a process as by charter or by constitution. Each governing authority has jurisdiction over certain specified responsibilities, sometimes constructed quite narrowly, sometimes very broadly. Oddly enough, it unfolds that one of those activities happens to be the establishment and administration of government indoctrination centers, otherwise known as public schools, which are funded by the peoples resources, as are all government powers.
Oh, wait . . .
Remarkably, it seems that two candidates for a Kansas authority have played and won the game exactly by the rules. They made clear what their agenda would be, they submitted themselves to the judgment of the people of Kansas, and they garnered more support than their opponents were able to muster. Though its surely a bit too melodramatic to assert that anyone thinks science is a democratic process, its clear that in Kansas, as it is in the whole of the US, educational standards, including standards for the teaching of science, are a democratic process, as they have been for well over a century.
Reality doesn't answer to a vote.
It doesnt?! From what planet have you been viewing this controversy? In a representative republic, reality answers to majoritys vote all the time. But it is true that we dont always like the answer we get from reality when its abused by majoritys vote. Your angst is a classic example. I doubt this condition will inspire any self-examination on your part, though, only finger-pointing.