EDITORIAL: When people think about voting, they think about the big races: President, senator, congressman. However, they often fail to think about “smaller” races and the impact they have on their communities.
Don’t get it twisted — elections that decide our president, senators and congressmen are very important. They affect laws and regulations that impact our everyday lives, the economy, how we interact with other countries abroad and so much more. However, they are not the only government officials that matter. Smaller, local elections for state government positions matter a tremendous amount. These are the types of positions that can make our lives better or worse no matter what the federal government is doing in Washington.
We know this can sound daunting. On top of all the homework you have to do, the extra shift you pick up, societal anxiety and all the other time constraints a college student might have, we are asking you to become more educated on local races. We can hear it now, “Local election? I barely have time to look into the presidential election!” and “It doesn’t affect my life in any way who the sheriff or state senator is.” We know the burden a full time college schedule can put on someone, but it’s really important that you are educated and vote for people representing you in local office.
For example, this year in District 8, our district, there is a very important state legislature race between incumbent Democratic State Sen. Mike Tipping and Republican challenger Leo Kenny. The outcome of this race could have significant implications for UMaine students.
The University of Maine is going through some hard times. Earlier this year, administrators projected a $19 million budget shortfall for fiscal year 2028, raising concerns about faculty layoffs and potential program cuts. State elections, including the District 8 Senate race between Tipping and Kenney, can influence how these challenges will be addressed. While the University of Maine System Board of Trustees oversees the system’s budget, state legislators play a role in determining how much funding our public universities receive through state appropriations.
When Roe v. Wade was overturned, it put abortion rights back in the hands of the states. Luckily, the Maine State Legislature upheld the rights of women and Maine is one of the lead states when it comes to protecting a woman’s right to an abortion. That’s the kind of impact results of local elections can have on your life.
Beyond issues of rights, state legislators have an impact on the economy, cost of living and many other things. Earlier this week, Maine Campus published a Q&A with both candidates to see where they stand on certain issues concerning UMaine students. That could be a great resource for students starting to research which candidate they would like to see influence the future of Maine’s laws. Many local news outlets also offer plenty of information for you to make an educated vote.
The outcomes of these November elections are going to decide a lot of things, but it’s important to remember it’s not only senators and congressmen who make a difference. Change starts down the street before it makes it to Washington.
