By Sam Lambert
Quick…. Say one word about how you feel about Massachusetts State Lawmakers...
I wish I, and our State Representatives and Senators, could hear the word you chose. In our office, words like frustration, despair, disappointment, anger, cynicism have all been used. However, hopeful is also one that comes up. Why? Well, it doesn’t have anything to do with the current session, but the promise of an election year that always brings with it a seed of potential for change.
We don’t have many competitive races this year, but the ones that are competitive feature some candidates outside of the traditional establishment. We have activists and advocates, professionals who have dedicated their careers to service, and maybe… just maybe… a few that will work to shift the rules and make sure that the state house works for their constituents and not the few in power.
Most of these races will be decided not in November, but on Tuesday September 3rd, the day after Labor Day. Because Massachusetts is dominated by a single party, the state primary is where the most consequential races are determined. This is the election where candidates of the same party go head-to-head to determine who will represent their party in the November general election, where they may, but in Massachusetts often don’t, have a challenger from the opposing party or even an undeclared (also referred to as “Independent”) candidate. In many of these races, the September primary victor is the presumed winner in the general election, making September 3rd an incredibly important day.
Historically speaking, primary elections feature far less turnout than the general and there are many reasons for this. One is simply the date. Having an election the day after the last long weekend of the summer poses many challenges; college students are just settling into dorms and classes, many folks are taking advantage of one last long weekend and traveling, or families are simply busy as they get ready to transition from the laid back summer schedule into a new school year. Another is the lack of unbiased voter information ahead of state primaries. Many races simply don’t get coverage or are in districts where community-based organizations don’t have the capacity to organize debates or candidate roundtables. State primary races greatly favor incumbents, elected officials running to keep their seat, who have the benefit of name recognition. Lower turnout means that a fraction of the votes that would be necessary in the general election are enough to win.
This is all rather doom and gloom, I know. Honestly, it can be easy to throw in the towel, so to speak, and think that it can’t change… and sometimes, that’s the point, isn’t it? My favorite quote is from Joan Baez, “Action is the antidote to despair”. What action might that be? Reading this is a start! And then:
- Learn about your candidates for State Representative and State Senator. This can be a challenge because sometimes being quiet and an incumbent is its own campaign strategy. With local newspapers fading out of existence or behind paywalls, there is not much coverage aside from their glossy campaign material… if you even get that.
- Is there a competitive race in your district? Check out organizations you trust and find out who they are supporting and why. Reach out and ask if there are plans to support a particular candidate and how you can get involved.
- Is your district non-competitive? Pretty likely… but you can still help! Volunteer for a phone or text bank, get your steps in during a canvass, or join in a visibility sign-holding. Getting the word out to voters in a competitive district can change the trajectory of any race.
- Make a plan for yourself. Visit the Massachusetts Secretary of State website to check your registration, learn about early voting, apply for a mail-in ballot, or take a look at a sample ballot. Early and mail-in voting options are a great way to make sure your vote is counted without having to worry about the unexpected derailing your visit to the voting booth.
- Reach out to folks and ask if they have a plan. Many people just don’t realize how important the State Primary is. Hearing from someone they trust can make a difference.
The Massachusetts Chapter of the Sierra Club will host our first Get Out the Vote text bank on Wednesday, August 7th at 5 pm. We will be reaching out to college age folks to remind them to check their registration and apply for a mail-in ballot… before they leave for school! It’s a great way to build community and make a difference. Want to do more? Reach out to Sam Lambert at sam.lambert@sierraclub.org to discuss additional ways to get involved.