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Keeping this bus in service could be your responsibility!
It varies from state to state, county to county, but in my state, in my county, the filing period for local nonpartisan offices like the school board, the water board, sanitation board, etc for the November 5th election is open now and running through August 9.
Maybe you've never thought about this before. Maybe it's not your cup of tea. Or maybe there's a position that could really use your input.
On this site, we talk a lot about national politics. But our diarists also cover local issues, and we've seen how local races can affect us nationally. If your school board is terrible, what have you done about it? If your sanitation board raised the rates and cut services, did you investigate? Have you attended the meetings? Have you thought about recruiting better people to run? Have you thought about being that person yourself?
In some places, the race for any board is a serious campaign that requires significant funding to get off the ground at all. In some places, you can get yourself elected just by filing the paperwork and finding yourself unopposed. Some positions are full time and paid; others are completely volunteer. For volunteer offices, it may be completely free to run.
In California, if you run, you will need to take an oath to defend the constitution, sign a paper that attests your promise to run an open, clean, and fair campaign that is in the best interests of a democratic citizenry, and file a financial disclosure. (I know, it's hard to believe some of our elected officials signed some of those papers. Maybe they don't read them.)
So here's my to-do list suggestion for today: pick a board that interests you, follow its agenda and minutes, and take the time to attend a meeting. It's a small and interesting way to make a difference in your local community.
Maybe next year, you'll decide to file.