It’s Time to be Counted!

A Message from Your League’s Governmental Affairs Team

Have you forgotten what it’s like to turn on the TV, open the newspaper, or tune into your favorite local radio station without hearing a political ad? I know, for many of you, this election season can’t end fast enough.  With so much at stake, some candidates are taking a no-holds-barred approach, resulting in an increasingly negative political climate.  While it may seem easier to turn things off, tune things out, and stay home on Election Day, your League’s Governmental Affairs team encourages you to stay engaged and look past the ugliness that can overshadow our political process.  Your opinion matters and your vote counts; use it!

At the Maine Credit Union League, we talk a lot about the importance of advocacy.  If credit unions aren’t at the table; we are on the table.  Which is why it is critical for our industry to participate in the political process.  That starts at our core – with our members, volunteers, and employees.  No one is better suited to advocate our policy goals.  Silence is deafening and we must make our voices heard when it comes to issues that impact our members and our ability to provide exceptional service.  One way to do that is at the ballot box.

Electing pro-credit union candidates is important because it helps us achieve our policy goals and shield credit unions from harmful new laws and regulations.  That’s one reason why the League makes political endorsements at both the state and federal level.  We carefully evaluate each candidate and lend our endorsement only to those individuals who we believe will represent our views in Augusta and Washington.  We do this regardless of political affiliation.  We stand behind our “friends” – even when it might be easier to do nothing at all – and we promote our support.  If you haven’t seen our candidate endorsement list, we urge you to review it.

The League also makes financial contributions to candidates because we understand that a well-funded campaign can go a long way toward helping a candidate get their message out.  While it would be nice to live in a world where money didn’t matter in politics, that’s not the environment that exists today, and political contributions have become an important way to support candidates that support credit unions.

We hope the actions the League has taken in the weeks and months leading up to the election will make a meaningful difference, but the power is in your hands – not ours.  Only you can decide who has earned your vote.  Even if you are undecided, don’t let that keep you away from the polls on November 6.  A democracy functions best when all voices are heard – including yours!  Exercise your right to vote and encourage others to do the same.

We all have a role to play in shaping our state and country’s future and propelling the credit union movement forward.  That means showing on up on Election Day.