Members of the Ohio Farm Bureau.
Las Vegas / Columbus: As the 2024 election cycle kicks into high gear, US voters are concerned with the performance and policies of each of the candidates which will decide the future of American democracy.
In particular, the work of labour unions and civic organisations is more critical than ever, as they seek to ensure the political landscape of different states reflects the needs of people.
The influence of these organisations in the “swing” states or “battleground” states – sometimes referred to as “purple” states - that have split support for Democratic and Republican candidates in recent presidential election cycles plays a pivotal role in elections.
A group of 20 journalists from around the world including Qatar recently had the opportunity to explore how American democracy is shaped not just through voting but through ongoing civic participation and community endeavours.
The international reporting tour ‘Democracy is More Than Election Day’ organised by the Global Public Affairs Bureau of the US Department of State through its Foreign Press Centers paved the way for the journalists to know in depth about the unfolding political landscape in Las Vegas, Nevada, and Columbus, Ohio, “battlegrounds” in the 2024 US elections.
In Nevada, a state that has proven time and again to be a trailblazer for political shifts, the efforts of Las Vegas’s unions are a powerful political driving force.
Many politicians cater to unions on the campaign trail, as they are known for supporting their endorsed candidates through voting campaigns, election monitoring and outreach.
Las Vegas is experiencing economic growth, specifically in the sports and entertainment industry and infrastructure construction. Most importantly Las Vegas’s heavy reliance on the tourism and hospitality industry is backed by the Culinary Workers Union and its endorsement is coveted, and has led to the eventual election of their preferred candidate several times.
“We are involved in politics in a way that protects our workers,” said Bethany Khan, Spokeswoman of the Culinary Workers Union, which is an influential supporter of Democratic politicians and causes in the state of Nevada.
Representing over 60,000 workers and 150,000 family members, the Culinary Union is the largest in Nevada, and strongly advocates for their rights in education, housing and welfare. The union not only negotiates labour contracts but also has considerable political power in endorsing candidates or bills that support labour rights and economic justice.
Unions in Nevada are looking into “where the government funding” is allocated, said Will Adler, founder of Silver State Government Relations.
“Nevada is a unique state. Nevada is not red nor blue, it’s a purple state when it comes to elections…If you don’t have the right people in your camp and if you don’t have done the right bills you will lose,” said Adler who has assisted clients in stakeholder engagement and in formulating policy proposals that allow local, state, or federal governments to adopt forward-looking policy, including the integration of new energy sources and technologies.
Members of Laborers Local 872 in Las Vegas, a union dedicated to workplace safety and quality construction advocating for politics that increases economic development and creates jobs across the community. It is part of the 500,000 Laborers International Union of North America.
The diverse union of trained construction workers and public service employees uses collective power to solve the problems that workers, employers, and policymakers can’t solve alone.
Danny Thomson, Former Nevada State Assemblyman and Member of Laborers Local 872, said that the union looks into how candidates and their policies address day-to-day issues including jobs, pay checks, working conditions, job growth and protection for workers.
“Pay check is a major concern,” he said emphasising the importance of policies to reduce inflation and guarantee jobs.
While in Ohio, once a battleground and used to matter a lot in presidential elections, advocacy groups and grassroots organisations tend to play an important role in the political arena.
In Ohio, half of the land is used for agriculture, which is the number one industry in the state. The rural farmers have unique political policy needs, which they advocate for under the umbrella of the Ohio Farm Bureau with around 70,000 members, a grassroots membership organisation that supports farmers and the agricultural community of Ohio. Ohio Farm Bureau is under the American Farm Bureau umbrella, which has around 6 million members.
Evan Callicoat, Director of state policy for Ohio Farm Bureau, said, “We really pride ourselves on the grassroots of our organisation.” He added that they advocate for the rights of the farmers at all levels.
He said that the group observes and analyses policies and their impact carefully before endorsing candidates – “and we put out an action guide for our members based on policies that matter to agriculture. These are the candidates we think will help us.”
At the forefront of civic engagement are organisations like Common Cause Ohio, a non-profit, non-partisan advocacy organisation, that works to strengthen public participation in democracy and ensure that public officials and public institutions are accountable and responsive to citizens.
Catherine Turcer, Executive Director of the organisation said that in 2024, Common Cause Ohio is working through the Fair Districts Ohio Coalition and supporting the Citizens Not Politicians ballot initiative to establish an independent citizens redistricting commission.
Through a powerful combination of coalition building, lobbying and litigation, grassroots organising, policy development, research and public education, they spotlight local, state and national issues that affect people in Ohio.
