Elections are the cornerstone of democracy. Each election cycle , voters have the opportunity to exercise their right to shape their governments and their futures. Voter participation is crucial, along with equity-minded candidates on the ballot. That is especially true during a presidential election year. Whether the results from this year’s elections are aligned with your values or not, it’s important to remember the importance of our democratic process on the influence of the voices of all members of communities across the country. 

At LEE, we continue to build communities and supports for equity-minded individuals with the goal of advancing equity through civic leadership and engagement. That is why we are proud to spotlight the accomplishments of LEE members who played pivotal roles in ensuring steadfast democracy. Their actions not only shaped outcomes, but also highlighted the power and importance of active civic leadership and involvement.

LEE Members On The Ballot

Across elections in 2024 more than 300 members stepped up to run for various offices across 35 states. From local school boards and beyond, the diversity and range of positions that our members ran for showcases the dedication and desire to serve their communities with an equity-minded and values-driven approach. ⅔ of the members who ran, won!

• Members who identify as a person of color won 66% of their races, while women won 67% of their races.
• About 50% of members who won were first-time candidates.
• LEE members represented 16 of our partner organizations.

Election Participation

For those of you who made extraordinary contributions during this election season beyond running for office, we are grateful. Many LEE members engaged in grassroots initiatives, campaign organizing, and volunteered at the polls, to name a few. These members left an indelible mark on their communities and causes, and we are proud of their inspirational efforts to continue the drive for equity.

To all our members who ran for office, regardless of the outcome, and worked to engage in our democratic process, we applaud you.

What's Next: Sustaining Civic Engagement

Here are some ways you can continue to show up civically:

1. What’s Next: Maintaining Civic Momentum - Transform your civic fervor and involvement with the latest election season into a plan of action. Join us virtually on 11/14 at “What’s Next: Maintaining Civic Momentum” and strategize about how to move forward with your civic leadership plans.  about your future civic plans.
2. Further your policy or advocacy career - On 11/21, join us at Introduction to Policy & Advocacy Careers, a riveting virtual training session about the ins and outs of policy and advocacy careers, the types of roles you can land in this sector, and what it takes to successfully get there. At this session, we’ll also create a discussion space for our upcoming 2025-2026 fellowships; ask your questions about our fellowships and collect all the important information you need to know ahead of applications opening up.
3. Explore Your Own Leadership Potential: If the latest election season compelled you to take civic action, we encourage you to use that inspiration to propel you to exploring elected leadership. Running for office is an exciting opportunity to shape and amend policies and laws, and our experienced campaign coaches can support you every step of the way, from your initial thoughts to your new office.