Written by: Audrey S
We’re officially a week away from the 2022 US elections! You may not know it, but these elections are very important when it comes to public school reform. Along with gubernatorial and mayoral elections, there is also local legislation that impacts your local community- this includes school districts.
A lot of voters enter the voting booth with very little knowledge of local politics. In fact, according to the National Civic League, “Across the US, only 15%-27% of eligible voters cast a ballot in their local elections.” So, when a more flashy election like this comes around, it’s a huge opportunity to make informed decisions about legislation that’s locally impactful.
Where to Find Information on Local Legislation
There are a lot of great organizations that are dedicated to informing voters on registration status, making a voting plan, and finding out what’s on your ballot. One of which is the nonprofit,
the League of Women Voters Education Fund. This organization has been recognized by PR Daily’s Nonprofit Communications Awards for Best Overall Nonprofit Communications Campaign of the Year. With the creation of their website, VOTE411.org, the LWVEF has provided millions of people with the information they need to cast an informed vote.
When you go to vote411.org there’s a tab titled “Find What’s on Your Ballot”. If you click on it, you may put in your address and the website will route you to a page containing candidate debate videos for school district representatives, a list of state sponsors, and a video voter guide.
How Does This Affect Public School Reform?
Making an informed decision on local issues when voting is important not only for positions like governor or mayor, but also for school district representatives. As stated in our previous blog, Funding 101: How is Funding Distributed in Schools?, “School funding is not a federal responsibility, it is in the hands of local and state governments.” By voting for and thereby electing district representatives that support your personal ideals, you can make a more tangible impact in your schools.
The main idea behind Teacher’s Pet has always been improving public education. We can only do this through active participation in elections and informed voter decision making. Visit vote411.org to learn more about what’s on the ballot for your community, and together we can help make valuable contributions to improve our public schools!
Resources:
Vote411.org
https://www.nationalcivicleague.org/ncr-article/increasing-voter-turnout-in-local-elections/
https://www.prdaily.com/awards/nonprofit-pr-awards/2021/winners/
https://sites.stedwards.edu/teacherpet/2022/10/04/funding-101-how-is-funding-distributed-to-schools/