Down-ballot voting is a big deal in the 2024 election, and it’s more important than you might think. Sure, the presidential race gets all the hype, and don’t get me wrong, it is very important. But the people we, as young voters, elect locally — like governors, city council members, and school board reps — make decisions that hit much closer to home. These are the folks who influence our daily lives.
In 2024, there’s even more on the line. Issues like voting rights, reproductive health, and how our communities bounce back from the pandemic are being tackled at the state and local levels. If we skip those down-ballot races, we’re leaving a lot of important choices up to chance. And by voting all the way down the ballot — something only a third or more of those voting actually do, according to U.S. Vote Foundation — we make sure our voices are heard not just at the top, but all the way through.
Nobody knows the importance of down-ballot voting better than local government officials, including state governors. At a DGA panel hosted by Julia Louis-Dreyfus on Aug. 21 during the DNC, the eight Democratic women governors came together for an inspiring discussion the 2024 election, including Vice President Kamala Harris’s historic run for president, but also the vital importance of down-ballot voting.
“I started at the lowest level,” New York Governor Kathy Hochul told the room. “I was maybe just a step above dog catcher in my town — and I worked my way up.” Hochul, New York state’s first female governor, also says that women who want to be involved in the political sector shouldn’t be discouraged to “get into the game” if they don’t have the strongest resume — start small in roles on the school board or town board and “build the farm team.”
“The guys don’t require any qualifications, they just step up and run. We’ve got a guy who said, ‘I’m a billionare, I want to be president, I’m gonna ruin the country…’ and he did!” Hochul said, referring to former President Donald Trump.
The true engine of democracy lies in the less glamorous but equally critical down-ballot races. These local and state-level elections are where the policies that impact our daily lives are often decided, and they are where we must focus our efforts to elect more women. Because by electing women to local government roles, more inclusive and representative policies will be put in place.
Think about it: The people you vote for in school boards and state legislatures are the ones making the calls on things like education, health care, and job opportunities — stuff that impacts you directly. New Mexico Governor Michelle Lujan Grisham hit the nail on the head when she said at the panel, “Critical decisions get made down ballot.” She stressed how important it is to have women in these roles to make sure decisions are fair, equal, and actually get things done.
Massachusetts Governor Maura Healey took it a step further, highlighting how down-ballot races shape crucial issues. “Look at the decisions,” Healey pointed out. “It’s your school committee that’s going to decide curriculum, whether there’s health education (especially for girls), funding for education, for housing, protection of abortion rights.” Healey and the Massachusetts Board of Education are a great example of just that. In September 2023, Healey passed the first comprehensive health education update the state had seen since 1999, which now includes mental and emotional health, personal safety, substance use and misuse, sexual health, and many more cornerstones of inclusive, medically-accurate, and developmentally age-appropriate education.
So the policies that affect your life? “That’s all happening by state actors right now, up and down the ballot,” Healey said.
Arizona Governor Katie Hobbs, who knows that down-ballot positions are where future leaders get their start, also pointed out the long game of voting for women in down-ballot races. “It really is about building the bench,” Hobbs said, and her own journey proves it. She didn’t just jump into the governor’s mansion in 2023 — she worked her way up from the legislature to Secretary of State. Hobbs reminded attendees that even future presidents might kick off their careers in these local roles, meaning that the people we vote for today could be the big names leading the country tomorrow. “Just look at our next president,” Hobbs said of Vice President Kamala Harris, “She started as a [District Attorney].”
In a world where big names and flashy campaigns grab the headlines, it’s easy to overlook the real action happening down-ballot. But here’s the deal: These local races are where change actually starts. Think of them as the launchpad for the next wave of women leaders who are shaping the policies that impact our everyday lives — from the classroom to the courtroom. Electing women in these positions isn’t just about filling seats; it’s about fueling a movement. When we back women at every level, we’re not just voting — we’re building a future where our voices are heard loud and clear, right where it counts.