One Last Call Home

As election years come and go, and in the years that follow, frustration often builds over unmet campaign promises once candidates take office. These frustrations are justified; in 2020, for instance, President Joe Biden committed to key issues like expanding voting rights and police reform, yet those promises remain unfulfilled. But the blame doesn’t rest solely on the president. In the Senate, a small group opposed changing the filibuster to pass voting rights, and others blocked minimum wage increases. Though it passed the House, the George Floyd Justice in Policing Act met a quick death in the Senate. Control of Congress is equally critical.

After two years of Republican obstruction, intra-party infighting, and refusal to work across the aisle, I believe Democrats will see significant gains in the House district elections. Still, it’s essential to focus on these races even as emotions around the presidential election run high. We don’t need blindly loyal representatives; however, when major legislative items are on the line, a trifecta — when one party controls both chambers and the White House — reduces gridlock, making it easier for the president to fulfill campaign promises. In a country built on majority rule, majorities can mean the difference between progress and gridlock. Without them, we end up in the kind of stalemate we saw during former President Barack Obama’s term when Senate Minority Leader Mitch McConnell effectively blocked action in Congress

If we want to see the restoration of a woman’s right to bodily autonomy, we must vote. If we want to secure the right to love freely, we must vote. To prevent a government takeover by a leader who may not leave office, we must vote. We must vote for a return to decency and respect. Voting in national elections matters, but voting down the ballot is equally critical. Local and congressional races influence policies that affect our lives in ways often more immediate than federal decisions. For instance, school board elections determine whether districts offer comprehensive sex education, an inclusive curriculum, or ban books instead. City council and mayoral races shape decisions on affordable housing, police reform, and public transit, directly impacting our quality of life. State legislative races decide access to reproductive rights, voting protections, and healthcare. In recent years, states with Democratic majorities have safeguarded abortion access, while Republican-controlled states have imposed more restrictions. Even district attorney and state auditor races, often overlooked, set priorities around drug possession, police misconduct, juvenile justice, and transparency in government funding — policies that directly influence justice in our communities.

I’m making one last appeal to Amherst students: Whether you’ve already mailed in your ballot or not, reach out to friends and family, especially in swing states, and encourage them to vote — not just in one race, but in all of them. Congressional races are as important as state legislature seats, and school board elections matter just as much as gubernatorial ones. In this country, we sometimes take the right to vote for granted, even when politics can feel intangible, but we must change that narrative. I urge all members of the Amherst community to make one last call home and encourage friends and family to vote all the way down the ballot.