As the 2026 election season ramps up, voters are getting ready to cast their ballots. They’re researching candidate platforms, attending events, asking tough questions of candidates, and talking with family, neighbors, and friends about the election.
Every office on the ballot, from mayor to United States senator, will have the opportunity to influence Great Lakes and water issues, once in office.
We need laws and policies that protect and restore the Great Lakes. We must keep pushing for stronger, better safeguards for the world’s largest source of surface freshwater. And we must ensure that everyone in the Great Lakes region has access to clean, safe, and affordable drinking water, and is safe from community flooding, basement backups, and sewage overflows.
Download our nonpartisan 2026 Voter Toolkit and learn how to make a difference this election season.
Make the Great Lakes and clean water part of the election-year conversation in your area
Right now, you have an opportunity to encourage candidates to stand up for the Great Lakes and hold them accountable, once elected.
Your voice makes a difference – whether you’re asking questions at a candidate forum, chiming in on social media, speaking directly with a candidate, or highlighting water issues in a letter to the editor. People running for elected office pay attention to issues that bubble to the top in all these venues.
Use the toolkit to help you:
- Brainstorm questions to ask candidates about protecting our Great Lakes and our water
- Ask a question at a candidate forum
- Talk with candidates in person, over the phone, or on social media
- Speak out on social media
- Write a letter to the editor
Vote, and encourage others to vote
Voting is the most important way for you to have a voice in how elected officials protect our water. Elections are sometimes very close, and every vote counts.
Make sure to vote if you are a U.S. citizen, and help others in your community register and vote. Here are some tips to get you started:
You can make a difference
Elections have a big impact on our Great Lakes and the communities that rely on them. You can make a difference this election season. Show candidates that you care about the lakes and clean water. Vote, and encourage others to vote.
Thank you for everything you do for our Great Lakes!
The Alliance for the Great Lakes and the Election Season: Our Role
As a 501(c)(3) nonprofit organization, the Alliance for the Great Lakes cannot support or oppose candidates or political parties. However, we can, and do, educate candidates and voters on Great Lakes issues.