Who represents you?

And do they represent your interests?

In our political ecosystem, there are many people in charge of representing you and your interests at the federal, state, and local levels. A key aspect of civic engagement is knowing who these people are, what their position does, and how they are using their position of power. Are they working to build a brighter future for all our communities? Do they represent your interests and values?  

Most of us know who our federal elected officials are, but, this election year, we’re encouraging people to dig deeper into who represents them at the state and local level. These governmental offices significantly impact our daily lives and environmental and climate policy. State and local governments can often act more nimbly to address some of the key issues in our communities – like reliable access to clean water in our taps, the ability to purchase affordable electric vehicles, and maintaining access to our favorite local trails – and can be more responsive to direct feedback from constituents.  

Want to know who represents you? One of the easiest ways to search for your representatives is through USAGov.com. Enter your address and see your federal, state, and county officials, along with their contact information and social media handles.  

Who does what?

And what to contact them for.

Administration, Senators, and Representatives

These are the positions of power we hear about most often and, while they play an important role representing our communities and encouraging positive, national level climate policy, they can feel the most distant from our daily lives. Still, having climate champions in the upper echelons of the American political system is critical to achieving the clean energy transformation that must happen across the United States.  

Reaching out to federal representatives makes a difference when it comes to large scale climate and conservation policies and investments, like the Land and Water Conservation Fund or the Bipartisan Infrastructure Law, that can deploy standards and funding en masse across the United States, or for critical environmental rulemakings like the EPA’s particulate matter standards, which enforce healthier air quality levels in our cities and towns.  

Governors 

Governors and their administrations can lead states towards a brighter climate future by implementing state level environmental policy, distributing funding through agencies like the Department of Natural Resources, and setting up funding streams for climate programs and policies.  

Reaching out to governors makes a difference when it comes to signing and supporting bills coming out of the legislature or vetoing bills that would harm our communities or environment. Governors can also play a role in helping shepherd and build support for legislation through the legislature. Governors’ offices also determine how agencies like public health and parks and wildlife disseminate funding for programs from things like e-bike rebates to outdoor equity grants.  

Senators and Representatives  

State legislatures have an outsized impact when it comes to conservation and environmental action – that’s one of the reasons WRA has focused our work on these venues for over three decades. States can fill in gaps in federal policy and step up quickly if the federal government steps back from good climate policy. Changes in administrations and congressional majorities can result in inconsistent federal action, making states the ideal venue to build lasting environmental, conservation, and climate policy. 

You can reach out to your state representative and senator to encourage them to use our tax dollars to conserve land, protect wildlife, make our public lands and outdoor recreation accessible, incentivize EV rebates, implement stronger greenhouse gas emissions standards, or build programs that protect our states from drought.  

Commissions 

Did you know that, in many states, voters elect members of commissions that make decisions on issues like air quality and oversee public utilities? While this section of your ballot may appear confusing and you may be tempted to skip them, it’s incredibly important! Elected members of public commissions play an extremely important role in crafting climate policy. Commissioners can ensure polluters clean up their messes instead of sticking taxpayers and local communities with the bill. They can also hold our public utilities accountable by requiring them to be as transparent and as affordable as possible while also encouraging their transitions to renewable energy. 

County Commissioners, City Councils, and Mayors  

If you want to see solutions happen quickly in your backyard, county commissioners and other local officials are a great place to start. These officials often make decisions that impact our everyday lives – like the conditions of our roads, the quality of our drinking water, and whether there’s a recycling or compost program in our community. Counties and cities often oversee local development codes that can speed up or hinder clean energy development. They can ensure that trails are well-maintained and accessible for the community, securing the proper land use and easement to protect the areas that we love. Reaching out to these local decision makers can make a big impact on your immediate community, and even one person at a local town council meeting can change the direction of a decision. In fact, many of these local bodies have boards and committees that you can serve on to help build a bright climate future for your community.