For the 2020 election, I launched an election guide. It was alright but it was just the start to what I had hoped to do with election coverage. I’ve spent months looking over what others have been doing to cover local elections to come up with the best solution for myself and, hopefully, for you. I was highly inspired by the citizens’ agenda project and so The 2022 MoCo People’s Agenda was born.
Local elections are probably the most important elections you can participate in. National elections get a lot of press, but by and large, local elections impact you more day-to-day than any other kind of election. The 2020 election, for example, had one of the most divisive Board of Education races I’ve ever seen, anywhere. A lot was at stake though. Not only were we trying to navigate through a pandemic, but we were also trying to tackle larger issues like how our school boundaries have been influenced by segregated zoning policies, how some schools needed major improvement projects but were continually put off, while other schools, in wealthier, whiter areas of the county, were able to get their improvement projects completed.
The 2022 Election signals a more normal election. We’re still dealing with the pandemic, of course, but now that we’re at the tail-end we are more focused on everyday issues. As we enter the 2022 election season and I begin to speak with candidates and local politicians, I want to know what is most important to you. It’ll help guide what I ask and how I cover the election. It’ll inform the election guide, it’ll inform podcasts, forums, and debates. I happen to have a forum and I want to use it to make sure that everyone’s voice is heard. Your voice matters the most in local elections and I want to make sure that candidates across all of the races hear what is most important to you.
The People’s Agenda is a short survey that asks what’s most important to you, what worries you the most about the future in Montgomery County, and what you want candidates to address this election cycle. I’ll analyze all of the responses and synthesize it into your top issues. I’ll ask your questions and bring your concerns to candidates directly. You can complete the short survey here, or use the survey embedded below.
