Whew, the elections are heating up!
As my Dad would say, quoting Obama, "are you fired up and ready to go?!"
7/25/24
Good morning y’all,
I hope you all are enjoying the final weeks of Summer and the new turn of events in the Presidential race! I’m excited to see all the optimism Vice President Kamala Harris has generated since becoming the presumptive Democratic nominee, after President Biden ended his re-election bid. It seems like the Democratic Party is entering a new era and I can’t wait to see VP Harris put on the boxing gloves and really go to work! 🥊
Since the last newsletter, I’ve been laying low and recovering from travel! In June, I went on a research trip to study carbon capture (an emerging market) in Indigenous communities and attended The Campaign School at Yale University! I learned SO MUCH at the The Campaign School and really wished I would’ve attended before running for office, but now I have so much more faith in my next run for public office :-)
With local, state, and federal elections right around the corner, I’m going to write more regularly to keep y’all informed and to share my opinions 😁!
Below is some basic information about the upcoming elections:
🏘 Local Elections
Who - You! If you’re registered to vote. The deadline to register to vote on August 20th was July 22nd, but you can still register to vote in the general election (November 5th).
What - Tallahassee-Leon County residents will decide who will lead our City and County for the next 4 years. Voters will elect City and County Commissioners, School Board Members, and a Property Appraiser. For a list of candidates, click here. And to view a sample ballot, click here.
When - August 20th (add it to your calendar!)
Where - Your polling site, or at one of these early voting locations.
Why - Tallahassee has existed in a state of stagnancy, and even decline, for the past four years. Voting is a tool to place proactive, effective leaders in seats of power to progress our community and solve problems, like lack of affordable housing, inadequate public infrastructure, and the rise of violent crime. Government leaders set policy to regulate private businesses (like landlords), spend the public’s tax dollars on private and public development, and even design our park, transportation, and utility systems. Simply put, local government leaders determine the future of a community and whether it will prosper or struggle. Through voting, we have the power to influence the trajectories of our communities and help them thrive.
☀️ State Elections
Who - You! If you’re registered to vote. The deadline to register to vote on August 20th was July 22nd, but you can still register to vote in the general election (November 5th). These races are partisan, so if you aren’t registered to a party (Democratic, Republican), these races won’t show up on your ballot.
What - Tallahassee-Leon County residents will decide the Democratic nominee that will challenge current Senator Corey Simon in the general election. The winner of the general election will represent TLC residents in the Florida State Legislature. For a list of candidates, click here.
When - August 20th (add it to your calendar!)
Where - Your polling site, or at one of these early voting locations.
Why - Republicans have a supermajority in the State Legislature, which means it is an UPHILL BATTLE to get anything passed that doesn’t align with the current leadership’s conservative Republican priorities or values. With every election, we have an opportunity to break that supermajority, regain balance, and have enough power to fight for legislation that accepts the realities of climate change, gives teachers a competitive wage, and allows cities to implement rent control locally.
🏛 Federal Elections
Who - You! If you’re registered to vote. The deadline to register to vote on August 20th was July 22nd, but you can still register to vote in the general election (November 5th). These races are partisan, so if you aren’t registered to a party (Democratic, Republican), these races won’t show up on your ballot.
What - Tallahassee-Leon County residents will decide the Democratic or Republican nominee to challenge Neal Dunn and Rick Scott in the general election. The winner of the general election will represent TLC residents in Congress. For a list of candidates, check out your sample ballot.
When - August 20th (add it to your calendar!)
Where - Your polling site, or at one of these early voting locations.
Why - Republicans have a slim majority in the House (220R-213D), but because of this majority, they are able to block the advancement of necessary legislation, like the George Floyd Act, which would protect residents from over-policing and inject needed reform and accountability into the criminal justice system. If this law was passed in 2021 when it was originally introduced, Sonya Massey might still be alive today.
As always, stay well!
Shelby