Dear Editors,

In July, President Joe Biden withdrew from the presidential race and Sen. JD Vance of Ohio was named former President Donald Trump’s running mate. In August, the Democratic National Convention(DNC) formally nominated Vice President Kamala Harris as the Democratic presidential nominee. In September, we had the first debate between Harris and Trump, in October, we had the vice presidential debate and in November, we will have Election Day. In December … well, we often forget about what happens in December. If there is one message I would like to convey to my classmates here at Marlborough, it is that politics won’t stop on Nov. 5. The candidates and policies we will advocate for in the coming weeks will continue to affect us over the next four years.

So what do we do with that knowledge? First, we get more invested in local politics. Current discourse around the coming election tends to focus heavily on the presidential part, so let’s work as students to fix that. If you are motivated to reverse the effects of climate change, go read about California Proposition 4, which plans to use bonds to pay for environmental projects, disaster preparedness and cleaner drinking water. If you are passionate about criminal justice reform, tell your family and friends about California Proposition 6, which would amend the state constitution to eliminate forced labor for incarcerated people. Is housing access important to you? Learn about who is running for city council and what they view as the best solution to Los Angeles’ housing crisis. If you want higher wages, lower taxes or other changes in economic policy, look at the ballot referendums that support your values and encourage those around you to vote for candidates who will enforce them.

I write this not to minimize the presidential election — I know the stakes are higher than they might ever be — but to remind us that there are more critical races out there. And often, these races will have a far greater impact on our lives than we may realize.

From home to school and back, every corner of our lives is influenced by state law, including transportation, environmental regulations, education legislation and tax policy. Participating in local government is the strongest way to ensure that, come December, our state’s newest laws and leaders represent your political values and work to defend the most vulnerable residents of our community. Paying attention to local government is the most effective way to make concrete, tangible change quickly, and I urge anyone who reads this to take a closer look at what is on our California ballot.

Second, we must not stand back as history occurs. We know this election will be close. Polling sets several states with less than a percentage point of difference between the presidential candidates. Some models suggest that there is a high likelihood of the election being determined by a single district in Nebraska. Another popular and electoral vote split is far from out of the question. In practice, this means that every swing state vote counts, as they could push pivotal states over the edge. I strongly believe that if you care about the results of this election, you must vote if you are able. If you cannot, do everything in your power so that, when everything is said and done, you know you did everything possible to create the political landscape you believe in.

I will forever be grateful for the values I learned at Marlborough. From my 7th grade civics class to Theories and Politics of Race, my teachers consistently remind me how powerful our voices are to create real change in this country. As girls and gender minorities, I know that this is not a message we receive in other environments, so I appreciate Marlborough’s emphasis on the value of political advocacy for wider justice.

With these values in mind, I ask that none of us forget that, as Debate Coach and Program Head Adam Torson said in a recent post-debate debrief, politics is not a spectator sport, whether in our national, statewide or local elections. Let’s not treat it as such.

Sincerely,

Siena ’25