Voting Down Ballot Explained
A lot of the real action is happening at the state and local levels
We’ve been talking about voting down ballot all week because it’s that important! Huge portions of our local, city, county and state governments are up for election in addition to federal races this November. And this is where a lot of the real action is happening.
Some of the most important races to pay attention to are the state legislature races.
Most state legislatures have two chambers, just like Congress. Each one typically has a “lower chamber” (usually called the House or Assembly) and an “upper chamber” called the Senate.
People elected to the Senate represent larger districts with more people than people elected to the House or Assembly. But unlike the Senate in Washington, D.C., state senators represent specific districts, not everyone in the state.
Your state legislature is easily as important as Congress — if not more important. And much of their work happens with little public awareness or press coverage. So when citizens decide to play an active role at the state level, they can really make an impact.
For example, during the 2023-2024 session in Michigan, their House of Representatives passed a record number of bills that the vast majority of Michiganders support. These laws protected reproductive rights, restored rights for LGBTQ+ people, and saved lives by requiring firearms to be stored safely.
Michigan has shown us how we can make great progress when leaders actually care about and listen to their constituents.
Vote up and down the ballot for candidates who share your values. It will make a difference.
If you live in one of the states listed below and are looking for some guidance, we have voting guides for each of these states to help you. Just click on the state to find the voting guide!
Great article .. you are so correct.. it’s amazing to me that we focus our thinking on the national elections and ignore the state down ballot where true issues are usually dealt with