Your Voice. Your Vote. Your Community.

By Laura Walling, Vice President of Government Affairs, Goodwill Industries International, Inc.

Election Day is Tuesday, November 3, and there is a lot at stake for the communities nonprofits serve.

Every one of the 435 seats in the U.S. House of Representatives is on the ballot, along with 33 U.S. Senate seats and 36 governorships. At the state level, voters in 46 states will elect more than 6,100 state legislators, representing roughly 83 percent of legislative seats nationwide.

Voters will also make decisions that extend far beyond candidates. On November 3, voters will consider 145 statewide ballot measures, with questions touching taxes and budgets, constitutional rights, education, redistricting and other issues with significant implications for communities.

For nonprofit advocates, these elections matter because public policy shapes so much of our work: access to education and training, economic opportunity, charitable giving, human services, workforce development and the resources available to communities.

But advocacy isn’t only about engaging elected officials. It’s also about encouraging the people we serve, our employees, volunteers and neighbors to participate in the democratic process.

Get Out the Vote (GOTV) efforts can help communities make their voices heard. Nonprofits can play an important role by sharing nonpartisan election information, encouraging eligible voters to make a plan to vote and reminding people that decisions made at the ballot box can affect their communities for years to come.

As November 3 approaches, nonprofit advocates have an opportunity to do what we do best: inform, engage and empower.

Know what’s on your ballot. Make a plan. Help others participate.

And most importantly, vote.