You should be. The whole process is exhausting. The ads on television and radio, the phone calls at dinner, the mudslinging at stump speeches and during the debates are all over the top. Polling shows Hillary Clinton and Donald Trump are the two most disliked presidential nominees in modern American history. And to be honest, I certainly understand why many people aren’t interested in voting. But let me tell you why you should reconsider if you fall into this camp.
Control of Congress waits in the balance. Many of our supporters on Capitol Hill are facing tight races and could be negatively affected by lower-than-normal voter turnout attributed to the two unpopular nominees at the top of the ballot. A number of these Members of Congress, Democrats and Republications alike, serve on committees that impact issues important to NACD and have supported what I call the “three reforms:” TSCA, rail, and regulatory issues.
Lackluster presidential nominees should not deter you from heading to the polls on November 8. The down-ballot elections are just as important as the one at the top of the ticket. As an industry, it is critical for us to continue supporting dozens of Senate and House races that remain too close to call 12-days before Election Day so that the policies we hope to see in 2017 and beyond really do happen.