Yes, the election for president, governor, state superintendent, and other high-profile elections are important. This is not to say that these seats do not hold great significance. They do.
But local policies and local budgets are set and maintained by other elected officials who do not have public bandwidth to command your attention as much as a high-financed campaign.
Do you know who is running for county or city commissioner? Do you know exactly what that job entails and how much it really affects you? It’s rather significant.
Do you know how schools are financed? Roads paved? Who funds certain projects?
Do you know exactly what committees your state representatives and state senators sit on? Do you know their voting record?
Do you know how the court system really works when big issues like LEANDRO or voting rights make their way through the appeals process?
And do you know exactly who is running for school board? Do they really have the best interests of public education in mind or do they just have a really loud voice that attracts attention?
The down-ballot elections are that important. And you do not have to vote a straight-party ticket.
To say that all people in the same political party want the same things for the school system or the local budget and run on the same platforms is ignorant. Just because a person has an affiliation with a party does not mean that person holds the same perspective or offers the same type of solutions to issues. If anything, these past 15 years have shown that a single political party can spread itself apart and split into multiple factions that are in themselves echo chambers churning out rhetoric in total contradiction to what others in their “party” are saying.
Ask around. Research.
Oh, and teachers know a lot about local budgets and local politics.
