November elections are approximately a month away and campaign season is in full swing, which means that your local and state candidates, as well as federal candidates, are campaigning for your vote. Candidates want to get to know you; they want to ask for your vote. Opportunities at many different venues enable you to meet these candidates: from farmers markets to local fairs to high school football games to any other local community gathering.
Take the opportunity to meet these men and women. This is an ideal time to begin a relationship or renew an acquaintance. If you are not sure who is your state representative or state senator, visit Congress.gov for links to state legislature websites.
Follow up after the election by meeting with legislators to educate them about the issues facing children and school nurses. But don’t let this be a one-time meeting. Look at this as a long term relationship. Stay in touch with your elected officials.
Furthermore, most education decisions take place on the local and state level. Here is a great article from our friends at the NEA that discusses this very point.
Moreover, take the initiative to invite them to tour your school and health room.
People frequently pay more attention to federal issues, candidates, and elected representatives. But you can actually have a lot more influence in your state and local races and more easily maintain relationships with these elected officials because the pool of people they represent is so much smaller. Here is a great article by US Represented about the many reasons to be involved at the local level. So take advantage of this reality - get to your local and state candidates and form a long term relationship with them!
Most of all, don’t forget to vote on November 8th.
Please see NASN’s Advocacy webpage for more information about what NASN is doing to support school nurses in the legislative arena.
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