November 22, 2024
The election has been decided.
Now what?
If you voted, you may feel like your job is done or that there’s nothing else you can do. But there is so much more.
Our work is just beginning.
While it’s one thing for candidates to be elected, it’s another for them to govern in a way that supports our communities, environment, and regional economy. And we’re here to hold those elected accountable to create the bright climate future that we all want to see. We are more united than divided in our desired future across the West.
We still need you.
Staying engaged in what happens in your community and state throughout the year can result in large impacts to the issues that matter most to us – like clean air, safeguarding our landscapes, and conserving water supplies for future generations.
Elections Outside of the Presidential Years
Midterm Elections
Congress
While most of the focus is on the presidential elections, midterm elections can be just as important. Every two years, one third of the Senate and the entire House of Representatives are up for election. Not happy with the direction of the federal government from 2024 to 2026? Midterms are the time to make that known, not 2028. Midterm elections give voters a chance to cast their vote on their representatives and hold them accountable for their choices over the last two years.
While voter turnout during Presidential election years can be about two thirds of the voting population, midterms are often less than half. Voting, and advocating for others to vote, during the midterm elections is a critical way that you can continue to be a climate champion and make sure that we continue to hold our leaders accountable for the changes we wish to see.
Governors
With many issues being pushed to the state level, who leads the state as the Governor is incredibly important. With stalemates at the federal level and uncertainty around the future of climate legislation, state governments will continue to have an outsized impact on our day to day lives.
Governors often control the implementation of important climate policies through their cabinet leadership and agency rulemakings. Governors can also set ambitious climate targets and create programs that distribute money for things like water conservation and new public lands.
36 governors are elected during midterm elections. This is the case in Arizona, Colorado, New Mexico, Nevada, and Wyoming. During the midterm elections, climate advocates must turn out to vote for the candidates who will champion the environment.
Mayoral and City Council Elections
Some of the cities across our region follow the presidential election for mayoral and city or town council seats, but many do not. For example, Denver’s mayoral and city council elections were held in the spring of 2023. Check with your local county elections page to see if your local city or town council has odd year springtime elections or aligns with midterms or presidential elections.
Our local representatives have the power to decide on issues that impact the resources closest to home – like whether our communities invest in waterwise landscaping programs or create building codes that promote climate resilient developments.
Advocacy Throughout the Year
There are many things that you as an individual can do to hold those in power accountable and support long-term, institutional change. Your advocacy is powerful. We’ve seen advocates secure important wins for their communities and the environment by showing up and making their voices heard.
In New Mexico, hundreds of advocates reached out to decision makers and submitted comments to successfully pass new clean car and truck standards that will ensure clean air and equitable access to electric vehicles!
Read some other examples of how advocacy changed the outcome of a situation:
State Legislative Sessions
WRA works across seven states in the Interior West and achieves substantial results by focusing on the venues where decisions are made — at state legislatures, within state agencies and commissions, and working directly with utilities, local governments, and municipalities. During the times that the state legislatures are in session, WRA is hard at work drafting and advocating for policies that protect the people, economy, and environment of the West and blocking any bills that would harm these things. You can join us during these sessions in a couple ways:
- Join our email list: Sign up and stay up to date on what WRA is working on during the legislative session in your state and learn more about the policies we’re working hard to pass.
- Sign a Petition or Action Alert: Throughout the Spring, we’ll share opportunities to add your name to petitions on issues that you care about or to easily, directly email your legislator in support or opposition to a proposed law.
- Email or Call Your Legislator: While it may seem scary, legislators want to hear from you! Your legislator, especially at the state and local level, wants to hear from their constituents about what matters most to them. By emailing or calling your legislator, you can make your concerns known and help pass critical climate legislation! You can also reach out outside of a specific bill or legislative session to share what matters most to you.
Your Local Government
There are also plenty of ways to get involved in the policy process and advocacy right in your backyard on the things that affect you most.
Is your city considering landscaping at public buildings? You can advocate that city officials use water-wise landscapes instead of thirsty non-native species that waste water.
Is your town looking to add public transportation? You can advocate for electric buses or electric bike share programs to encourage more public transit.
By looking at your city or town’s website and checking the agenda for council or city commissioner meetings, you can know what is happening in your community and raise your voice by either writing to your council members or making a public comment at a meeting. We’ve seen just one public comment make a change for the better in these local government meetings!
Looking for other ways to get involved at the local level? Cities and counties are often looking for passionate residents to serve on a local board or committee. If you’re passionate about how your city creates trails and protects wildlife, you could join the local open space and trails committee. Concerned about housing? Some cities have committees that work on affordable housing. By looking at your city or town’s website, you can find ways to raise your voice and join in.
We know from experience that when you run on a trail that you helped build that was also created in a way that protects the wildlife in your backyard, there is a deep sense of pride and accomplishment.
Support WRA
When we look towards the future of climate action, we must remember that every little bit that we do matters.
Every drop of water saved, every particle of pollution removed from our air, and every acre of land protected will impact our communities and ecosystems.
We’re not giving up, and we’re not going to let our leaders give up. Neither should you.
We will move forward. We will not shy away from the challenge of fighting climate change and its impacts. We are problem solvers and organizers; we are trained and effective advocates. We have agency and we can, and we will, make a difference in this ongoing fight. We will consider the current conditions, plan a path through the policies we develop, and create plans that can bring the change that we believe is needed.
This is exactly what we will do together, and we remain committed and hopeful.
Solving the climate crisis is going to take courage, resolution, and the belief that we can create a better future. So why are we hopeful?
We’re hopeful because we see the progress we have already made:
- 8.5 million acres of land protected
- $750 million invested in transportation electrification
- Tens of millions of yearly tons of greenhouse gas reductions secured
And we know that more is possible.
We’re hopeful because not just Westerners, but a broad range of Americans are on board. Two thirds of Americans support 100% renewable energy by 2035. An overwhelming majority of Westerners support protecting 30% of our land by 2030 and believe that we need to take urgent action to protect our water sources.
We’re also hopeful because we know exactly what the challenge is before us — we know that we must cut climate warming emissions by 50% by 2030 and by close to 100% by 2050. We know that we must use 25% less water across the West and protect the Colorado River and other key rivers. We know that we must protect 30% of the West’s land and habitat by 2030.
It will be hard, but we know we can do it.
You can help fight climate change today.
Continuing our work to advance clean energy, protect lands and wildlife, and support healthy rivers is more important than ever.
Making a gift to WRA reflects our shared belief in the power of action and helps us move closer to a bright climate future. Together, we can drive state-based climate solutions in 2025 and beyond.
