It’s officially election season and I’m sure you’ve been inundated with letters, phone calls and personal requests for campaign contributions from the myriad candidates seeking every office from county clerk to Congress. These solicitations are important to the candidates because campaigns today cost a ton of money. However, the economy remains questionable, and a lot of us simply cannot afford to support all the candidates, so we tend not to get involved.
The 2002 election season is sure to be contentious, ugly, and full of rhetoric – as all election seasons seem to be these days. But it will be incredibly important for you to participate and support candidates, financially and in other ways, because this could be the most important election season for business in Nevada in decades. The races for Nevada Assembly and Senate seats are most important.
Why? The 2003 Nevada Legislature will decide many key issues that will directly affect the way you do business. Probably the biggest issue you should be concerned about is Nevada’s tax structure. Serious changes are on the horizon and the people who get elected today will be responsible for making the difficult choices tomorrow.
In the next four months leading up to the September primary, more than a hundred candidates will be vying for your attention and support. If you can’t support with cash, there are other ways to participate. The biggest challenge candidates face this year will not be their opposition. It will be voter turn-out. Low turn-out is expected in 2002 because it’s a non-presidential election and there isn’t a race or issue that will drive people to the polls.
It’s possible that less than 15 percent of Nevada’s population will decide who will make future major policy decisions that will affect your business and lifestyle. We need to add to this percentage. Unfortunately, people today believe that their vote doesn’t make a difference. Nothing could be further from the truth, especially in the primary election. In many cases, more than five candidates are running in a particular race. Divide up the number of people that do show up, and the winners will be decided by a very small number of votes.
In lieu of cash, there are many simple ways you can get out the vote and help candidates you support:
1. Encourage your employees to register to vote in your company newsletter, as a paycheck stuffer, in meetings, etc.
2. Provide mail-in registration forms for your employees in places where they can easily get them. You can get the forms from your local Voter Registrars office. They can fill them out and mail them to your county’s office or the Nevada Secretary of State.
3. Invite candidates to come to your office or company picnic to meet you and your employees.
4. If you can, provide an incentive and give employees time on Election Day to go to the polls.
5. When you meet a candidate you like and support, offer to help with his or her campaign. A Saturday walk through your neighborhood handing out campaign materials will go a long way to show support and encourage your neighbors to vote.
6. Encourage your employees and colleagues to do the same.
Helping candidates and driving people to the polls will go a long way to help the candidates who support business and your issues to get elected. It is also a great way to build relationships with future elected officials. This election season, take a little time each week and get involved. As businesspeople in Nevada, our future depends on it.
