The Race We Aren't Talking About

I want to talk about 26 people in a rural pocket of Maine.

But let's set the scene first. We're about 12 miles northwest of Portland in a town called Windham. It's home to about 19,000 people, give or take a few hundred – the kind of place folks used to say had more hay bales than humans.

There are handprinted signs at driveways' end advertising eggs and honey, some dairy farms still, big pickups driving fast, boxy new housing and familiar fast food chains gnawing away at the loamy farmland.

About 82% of Windham is of voting age, which translates to some 15,500 folks. And of those 15,500, 4,718 went to the polls for the November 8, 2022 election.

Yes, it was a midterm election. And that language is telling, isn't it? It's the middle of the President's term. The White House is the reference point here. Which is worth paying attention to: the White House changes laws through Congress. And Congress is only passing 2% of bills.

So who is doing the country's legislating?

Mostly state legislatures. They're calling the shots on abortion, guns, which roads get repaired and which don't, how much we pay in taxes when we buy bananas and bread.

But only 20% of folks know who their state legislators are. And in Windham, only 4,718 folks voted them into office.

Which is where we return to 26 people. There was a Windham statehouse race – the kind of race that will impact funding for public universities and K-12 schools, how easy or hard it is to vote in Maine, tribal sovereignty (Maine tribes currently don't have the right to full sovereignty or self–governance), and much more. And that race was decided by 26 people.

There were no headlines about it. Most folks never heard about it. But it will impact their life and the life of their state, like when the legislature took up an assault weapons ban (didn't pass), free breakfast and lunch for all kids in public schools (passed), paid family leave (passed), and tribal rights (didn't pass).

There will be far fewer signs for these statehouse races, far less - if any - press. But to paraphrase an adage, "We might not be into these races, but they are into us." And the reverberations of them will be felt in our daily lives.

So here's 10 minutes we can put towards a healthier democracy:

• If you don't know who your current statehouse representative and senator are, click here to find out.
• See where they stand on what matters to you.
• Find out if they're up for re-election and who their opponent is.
• Decide who you'll support.
• Tell friends in your district.

Because you and 25 of them could decide this race.