Vote Earth
Local Elections Make History
November 5, 2025
Opinion
Yesterday was Election Day in the United States. On its face this might seem like just another “off-year” election: with no U.S. presidential race on the ballot, no entire Congress up for grabs. But from the biggest cities to the smallest towns, statehouses to local councils, what happened yesterday in the U.S will ripple through our lives in ways many overlook.
This process of election affords a moral certainty that the office of President will seldom fall to the lot of any man who is not in an eminent degree endowed with the requisite qualifications.
Alexander Hamilton
In cities as large as New York City with nearly nine million residents, to college towns like Boone, North Carolina with about 20,000, voters are making decisions that matter. Last night, New York residents voted for their first Muslim mayor, Zohran Mamdani, who beat former New York state Governor, Andrew Cuomo in a race that electrified the nation.
In two other states, the results are also historic: In Virginia, Abigail Spanberger has been elected the state’s first female governor. And in New Jersey, another woman, Mikie Sherrill has won the governor’s race, defeating a GOP-endorsed opponent.
The most important office, and the one which all of us can and should fill, is that of private citizen.
Louis Brandeis, (1856 – 1941), Supreme Court Justice
Why local votes matter — maybe more than you think
You’ve heard it before: voting is every citizen’s right and a vital part of democracy. But here’s the kicker: in local and state elections, you’re often voting on policy that touches your everyday life far more directly than what happens in Washington. Because in the U.S local governments, state legislatures and governors wield enormous power.
They decide the health of our communities, the quality of our environment, the schools we build, the trees we plant, and the laws that protect or roll back vital climate protections. For example: decisions about urban tree canopy investment, plastic pollution bans, requiring climate education, or on the other hand, restricting the growth of renewable energy. All of these decisions often originate and are made at state or local levels, not just in Congress.
Though the federal government is influential and messages about it dominate our headlines with a neverending stream of executive orders, acts of Congress, court rulings — it is only one part of the puzzle. There are fifty states, and thousands of municipalities all making decisions — often with more immediacy and direct impact on your local environment, your commute, and your children’s classrooms.
Our political leaders will know our priorities only if we tell them, again and again, and if those priorities begin to show up in the polls.
Peggy Noonan, political commentator & speechwriter for President Ronald Reagan
Virginia’s result means a shift in the commonwealth’s leadership and a signal that voters expect perhaps more than just partisan theater. New Jersey’s win for Sherrill, meanwhile, underscores a rejection of the familiar and a push toward fresh leadership. Together, these outcomes suggest that even when the headlines appear loud and seem dominated by two parties constantly fighting each other at every turn, state and local races are where the action is truly happening.
So, What Should You Do?
Voting is the expression of our commitment to ourselves, one another, this country, and this world.
Sharon Salzberg, American meditation teacher & author
At a time when we’ve seen our own federal government here in the U.S pushing false information on climate change, the Environmental Protection Agency trying to roll back climate protections, and executive orders decreasing investment in renewable energy production – it is more important than ever to let our politicians know what matters to us.
If you’ve been thinking, “I’ll wait for the next big federal election before I bother voting,” consider this your wake-up call: vote local. No matter what you believe in or which party you vote for or which candidate, take part in this important process and vote.
Because abstaining means leaving the choices about your environment, your schools, your climate future to others. These local and state elections give you the power to fill policy gaps left wide open by Washington — and even to stop bad decisions before they begin.
Whether you care about the fate of our national parks, the strength of our renewable energy economy, or making sure the next generation understands climate change and has the skills to act — those fights often start at home, in your town, in your state. So when you walk into that voting booth, remember: this isn’t secondary. In many ways, it’s frontline.
We do not have government by the majority. We have government by the majority who participate.
Thomas Jefferson
Don’t forget too that you can support our work too and make a difference on the issues you care about. So, if investing in climate literacy matters to you then you can pledge your support here. Please join the movement and add your voice to this urgent call for change. You can sign the Global Plastics Treaty petition, and spread the word to your friends! Or, you can donate to our Canopy Project, which organizes tree plantings all over the world, and take the effort not to buy clothes that promote Fast Fashion.
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