Since the beginning of the 2024 election cycle, both media and student attention have been fixated on Kamala Harris and Donald Trump’s contentious battle for the White House.
Considering current tensions across the national political landscape in the United States focusing on the presidential election is expected. But a noticeable amount of coverage has been taken away from state and local elections.
Although this presidential election is the most crucial in recent history, it should not suppress debates about the races for the Senate, House or other local positions because those elections also have a direct impact on people’s lives.
As students cast their final votes today, it’s imperative to have a holistic understanding of all positions on the ballot and their significance to the democratic process.
Isa Nuñez, a New Jersey native, noticed firsthand how crucial state-level officials are to foster tangible change and protect civil liberties.
“When Roe v. Wade was overturned by the Supreme Court, the New Jersey governor promised to protect abortion rights,” said Nuñez, a junior history major. “So even though the federal government might make a decision, your local elections matter so much because New Jersey is now a safe space for bodily autonomy.”
The Tenth Amendment states any powers not specifically delegated to the federal government are returned to each individual state. Reproductive healthcare, crime reduction and capital punishment are just a few examples of these issues.
The legislative positions on the ballot for Pennsylvania include seats in both the Senate and House of Representatives. These offices are a fundamental part of the law-making process and play a key role in maintaining the Constitutional ideals of checks and balances.
A primary concern in the current presidential election is the possibility that the next president-elect will appoint at least two more Supreme Court justices. One of the most crucial jobs of the Senate is issuing the approval or rejection of those judges as well as any other official appointment by the executive branch.
Bryant Simon, a history professor, understands the focus on the presidential election but speculates that the recent fixation on national politics may be another symptom of current political tensions in the U.S.
“Power operates on a lot of different levels, and many of those local offices have a more immediate impact on day-to-day life for people,” Simon said. “Schools, for instance, are completely a local issue. Trash, public transit [are] the kinds of things that we daily deal with that are not national issues.”
Candidates at local levels are often more equipped to address issues of immediate concern to Pennsylvania residents, as they have more authority relating to the allocation of state resources.
An often overlooked position on the ballot for Pennsylvanians is State Treasurer, who manages Pennsylvania’s $150 billion budget through investments in local schooling, infrastructure and manufacturing. Positions like the treasurer determine how taxpayer dollars are used by the state, so students should educate themselves and vote for the candidate who represents how they want their money to be spent.
If Temple students do not support either of the two major parties, local elections are crucial for helping third parties get permanent state recognition. Approximately 37% of young voters identify as independents, according to a 2024 poll by the Harvard Kennedy School Institute of Politics.
Eric Settle is currently running for Attorney General as part of the Forward Party and a primary goal of his campaign is to get the Forward Party permanent recognition in Pennsylvania.
“It’s so difficult to raise enough money to compete with the two major parties because the attorney general’s race in Pennsylvania is really kind of the pre-Governor race,” Settle told The Temple News in October. “So recognizing that the real mission for me, and why I was willing to take this on, was the achievable goal of getting.”
Politics in the U.S. are currently defined by conflict and division, so students should recognize the importance of each of their voting decisions and pay attention to local races. The presidential election is still the most important to preserve American democracy, but it shouldn’t obscure the races that directly impact states and their vulnerable residents.
Temple has approximately 30,000 students who are eligible to vote. Collective action at the polls will make the changes students want to see a reality. Paying attention and participating in local elections is a crucial component of the electoral process.
The United States democracy is designed to champion states’ right to legislative autonomy. It is of utmost importance for students to vote for officials that best align with their ideal vision of Pennsylvania.
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