Every fall, we see an increase in Halloween decorations and political advertisements.
Admittedly, some of the ads are scarier than some of the decorations, but this brings us to Election Day on November 6.
This year, we will elect candidates for state and Congressional offices. There has been a lot of attention centered on races for the U.S. Senate and U.S. House of Representatives, including several key races in New York.
While this is important, we can’t afford to forget how important state and local races are for us. Elected leaders in our state and local government often have more of an effect on our daily lives and workplaces than what happens in Washington.
That’s why CSEA goes to great lengths in endorsing candidates. The most important thing I can emphasize about this process is that it’s not driven by political parties, but by who will best stand up for hardworking New Yorkers.
Union members throughout the state serving on political action committees at the region, local, and unit levels interview candidates, review voting records and debate very carefully whether any of the candidates will act in our best interest if they are elected.
Only then is an endorsement made. On our list of endorsements, which you can find on our website at cseany.org/cseas-2018-endorsements or on Pages 16-17 of this edition, you will notice we have endorsed candidates from both major parties. Only candidates who have demonstrated their willingness to fight for working people receive our endorsement, even if it means that we don’t endorse at all in a race.
We support the candidates who have vowed to stand up for us, but the most important thing is to GET OUT AND VOTE on November 6. People have fought and died for our right to vote, and we must use this right. Our government only works when we all exercise our right to vote and have a say in who represents us at every level of government. For those of us employed in the public sector, voting also serves as an opportunity to hire — and fire — our bosses.
Our country recently lost a great man in U.S. Sen. John McCain, and his example is one we should live by. We must come together despite our differences and diversity if we truly want to better our country, our lives, and our world. We owe it to ourselves, our families and our loved ones to vote for candidates who will support us when they are elected so we can protect everything we’ve fought so hard for over the years.
Remember this mantra on Election Day: “I’m CSEA and I vote!”
