Our current political climate brings a lot of differing emotions and opinions to the forefront of our minds. We find ourselves unsure of how to navigate this landscape before us. Who do I vote for? How can my best friend not see the topic the same way as I do? Can I still be friends with them? How will the outcome of this measure affect my life? I don’t agree with everything on this politician’s platform, should I vote for them?

It can be overwhelming to say the least.

When it comes to voting I often hear from people that they will vote for the President, but voting on everything else is pointless. After all, the President is the face of our country, so that’s what matters the most, right?

Wrong.

Coming up on Tuesday, November 8th, 2022, we have the midterm elections. Midterm elections, and local elections, are where your vote is going to count the most. Why? Because the people and measures you vote on in these elections are what will affect you from a state, county, and district level. During this election 35 of the 100 Senate seats and all 435 seats in the House of Representatives will contested. This means that if you don’t agree with how your state representatives have been handling issues that are near and dear to your heart, then you have the opportunity to vote in a candidate who you think will do a better job.

In addition to the seats in the Senate and House of Representatives there will be:

• 36 states and 3 territories having Gubernatorial elections, which is electing a Governor

• 30 states, 3 territories, and 1 federal district electing Attorney Generals

• 27 states electing Secretaries of State and State Treasurers

• A vast majority of states holding legislative elections

All of these, and the various other items being voted on, are highly important. However, turnout during non-Presidential election years is often low. This is likely caused by lower media presence, less educational awareness, and lack of resources to get the word out. I know that for myself I didn’t really know the importance of midterm elections until after Trump was elected. At that point, I vowed to myself that I would focus more of my time on politics and making sure that I know what I am voting for.

And knowing what you are voting for is the key to it all. There is a lot of money being spent on deceiving people into believing one side. We are a world of click bait, quick reads, and instant satisfaction. We don’t want to spend the time researching and truly understanding what a measure means, or what a candidates true view points are. Often there is a subject that weighs heavy on us, take for instance abortion rights, and if the candidate, or measure, supports our view point then we will vote for it. Sometimes without realizing the deeper impact it might have.

So how do you know what to research? How do you know what is going to be on your ballot in November?

The best place to go is Ballotpedia where you can look up your sample ballot. Once you know who and what are on your ballot, you can decide the areas you want to research more. One of the best things I learned in my political science class was to look for unbiased resources. These types of resources will provide you with information about the topic without any political, financial, or personal gain / agenda.

What should you do if you don’t have time to do your research?

You should still exercise your right to vote. Vote on the topics that are important to you. Vote to ensure that your fundamental rights aren’t going to be stripped away. Vote to have your voice heard.

The only wasted vote is the one that isn’t cast. So do with your vote as you please, because it matters.

Love always,

Jess

[lighthouse photo credit: Carissa Trapp]