IGNITE's Blog

Local and state elections are always happening, but they are not covered by the media as much as presidential elections are.

Nsé Ufot, the CEO of the New Georgia Project, has been working hard her whole career to ensure voter protection and promote civic engagement. Born in Nigeria and raised in Atlanta, her ties to Georgia run deep. Ufot received her Bachelor of Science degree from Georgia Institute of Technology before pursuing her law degree from the University of Dayton. 

The Local Politics 101 blog series zeroes in on the role of several local and state-level elected officials, including mayors and governors. These officials have a substantial impact on our lives. Voting for local and state-level candidates means getting a step closer to addressing or resolving important issues. Learn more about what state attorneys general are, what they do, and how you can become one. 

As President Biden nominates people to numerous positions, you might be wondering what those positions even mean. With Inauguration Day fast approaching, you’ll probably be hearing more about Press Secretaries and Senior Advisors. Keep reading to learn more about what these White House positions and offices are responsible for. 

Politics starts at the local level. In this series on our blog, we’re taking an in-depth look at local elected offices. As much as our lives are influenced by the legislators in Washington, our lives are significantly impacted by local elected officials, such as governors. Learn more about what a governor is, what a governor does, and how you can become one.

Politics is personal and it starts at the local level. Local elected officials are the ones who make decisions that affect our everyday lives and impact communities. In this new series on our blog, we’re taking an in-depth look at local elected offices. We’re starting with mayors, so keep reading to learn more about what a mayor is, what they do and how you can become one. 

Once elections pass and newly elected officials are sworn into office, that’s when our representatives get to work. But if you follow politics especially at the local level, you might hear titles being thrown around like “Commissioner” and “Lieutenant Governor”. What do those titles really mean? And what powers do those positions or offices hold? Keep reading to learn more about elected officials and offices at the state/local levels.

In this election year, more women ran for office than ever before. We should all take a moment to celebrate those who ran and have inspired the next generation of leaders. Some of the many womxn who ran just made history by becoming the “firsts” at the congressional and state levels. Keep reading to learn more about the women in politics who made history in this election.

A record number of women ran for office in 2020, surpassing the record set in the 2018 midterm election. Many women have won up and down the ballot including Vice President-elect Kamala Harris. 26 non-incumbent women have been elected so far as a result of the 2020 election—9 Democrats and 17 Republicans. Check out some of the firsts in the 117th Congress who will be sworn in on January 3, 2021. 

Election Day has come and gone. As 2020 begins to wind down many of us are looking forward to a restful holiday season. But if we know anything about civic engagement, activism, and women’s rights, it’s that the work doesn’t end when the election is over. The real work happens in the years in between.