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Elise Baldacci
The November election is less than two months away. Soon, campaign signs will clutter neighborhoods, and political ads will be played on repeat on our favorite broadcast stations. For those who enjoy following politics, this is an exciting time of year! Regardless of your enthusiasm level, it is important to engage in the election process and cast your vote for candidates that share your values and support the credit union movement. Advocacy plays a critical role in helping our industry achieve its public policy goals and is why the League participates in a thorough and thoughtful candidate endorsement process.
On September 5, the League’s Board of Directors approved the endorsement of 111 candidates running for office at both the state and federal levels. Before making their decisions, the Board carefully considered recommendations made on behalf of the Governmental Affairs Committee. The committee spent a significant amount of time examining the races, reviewing each candidate’s voting history on issues impacting credit unions, analyzing their responses to the League’s legislative questionnaire, and determining any relationships they have with their local credit union(s). To conduct this type of meticulous review was no easy task, and I am personally grateful for their help in identifying candidates credit unions can support at the ballot box.
What also is unique about our endorsement process is that it is not influenced by party affiliation. This makes our review fair for Democrats, Republicans, and Independents alike. Keeping party politics out of the equation also adds to our credibility when we lobby members on both sides of the aisle regarding issues that matter to our movement.
While I hope you will agree with the endorsements we are offering, I want you to know the League will work hard to find common ground with all election winners—regardless of whether they received our support leading up to November 5. It is our job to ensure your voice is represented in the halls of the State House and in Congress no matter who holds the seats to these important offices. In the meantime, I hope our endorsements make your decision-making process easier. It can be difficult to decide who to support on Election Day but knowing who the credit union-friendly candidates are in advance may help simplify your choice. Regardless of whether you follow our recommendations or not, I strongly encourage you to exercise your right to vote in a few weeks.
To see a list of our endorsed candidates, please click here. If you have questions about the League’s endorsement policy, please contact a member of the League’s Governmental Affairs team.