Beyond the President: 7 Crucial Seats Up for Election in 2020

And how these offices can have a huge impact on issues like policing, climate change, and LGBTQ equality.

By Jackie Menjivar

From the news to social media to casual conversations with friends, the topic of the presidential election is pretty unavoidable for most people in the US right now. Maybe you’re not particularly jazzed about either of the major party’s presidential candidates, but what about all the other offices that you’ll be voting on come Election Day?

Depending on your state, your ballot could include elections for seats like governor, state legislature, attorney general, secretary of state, and more. As much as the president can influence national policy, it’s these folks who often have the largest impact on our everyday lives, coming from the local and state level. Learn more about what these offices do and which ones you’ll be voting on this year, and then pledge to vote on all candidates up for election on November 3.

1) Governor (and Lieutenant Governor)

Governors are the highest-ranking official and commander-in-chief of their states, followed by the lieutenant governor. They can impact state law by vetoing legislation passed by the state legislature or advancing their own policy through executive orders. Similar to how the president can appoint federal court justices and Cabinet members, governors can do the same on the state level.

Most recently, we’ve seen just how influential governors can be through their response to the coronavirus pandemic, as some quickly enacted strict regulations to flatten the virus’ curve and others left several public health decisions unanswered.

See if your state is holding gubernatorial elections in 2020.

2) State Legislators

All but one state have two legislative chambers at the state level -- a Senate and House of Representatives that mirror those of the federal government. State senators and representatives draft, propose, and pass legislation that impacts everyone in the state, so their roles are just as important (and sometimes more) than their federal counterparts.

For example, the federal government may be making slow progress on impactful environmental legislation, but in 2019, four more state legislatures passed laws requiring their state to power electric grids with 100% renewable energy in the coming decades. Environmental victories like this are happening frequently at the state level, including solar panel requirements, boosts to public transportation, and taking down industry polluters. State legislatures often move faster and more effectively than Congress in other areas too, including gun violence prevention, criminal justice reform, and LGBTQ equality.

See if your state is holding state legislative elections in 2020.

3) Attorney General

Every state has an attorney general, who acts as the chief legal officer for that state. They advise the state government and legislature on legal matters (which can include things like prison reform and drug-related law enforcement). They also advocate for the public legally on issues like consumer protection, regulation of public utilities, environmental hazards, and governmental corruption.

State attorneys general can launch investigations or file lawsuits on behalf of public interests, assist with ongoing state and federal investigations, or (in some states) take over cases from local prosecutors -- as we often see happen with high-profile cases involving police brutality and misconduct.

See if your state is holding an election for attorney general in 2020.

4) Secretary of State

This position exists in all but three states, and it’s elected directly by voters in most of them. While a lot of this position is administrative (keeping state records, registering state trademarks, etc), one of its most important roles is as the state’s chief elections official -- and it’s actually the most common duty for a secretary of state.

As the chief elections official, secretaries of state establish Election Day procedures, enforce voting regulations and rules, and oversee any recounts or other issues. That is to say, if you care about the way your state’s elections are conducted (and you should!), then pay attention to your secretary of state. (Plus, the secretary of state is usually second in the line of succession to replace the governor.)

See if your state is holding an election for secretary of state in 2020.

5) Education Officials

In certain states, there are a few offices up for election that have a hand in the quality of public education (in other states, these positions are appointed by other elected officials). Some of the most crucial offices are the state board of education and state superintendent of schools.

These folks can make recommendations for what’s taught in the classroom, determine graduation requirements, allocate funding and grants, and evaluate the performance of school staff and administration.

See if your state is holding elections for state superintendents or school boards in 2020.

6) Judicial Officials

Certain states elect folks to serve as judges and justices within their district, appellate, and supreme courts, as well as some jurisdictional courts like traffic courts or family courts. While legislators create the law, it’s ultimately up to the court system to determine how the law is interpreted and applied practically.

In the case of a state supreme court justice, they’re in a position to act as “court of last resort” and provide the final verdict (unless it’s elevated to the Supreme Court) on civil and criminal appeals. In the past, state supreme courts have decided on cases that were instrumental to same-sex marriage equality and the elimination of the death penalty at their states’ level.

See if your state is holding judicial elections in 2020.

7) Sheriffs

Sheriffs are elected in 48 states to act as police chiefs for counties or large cities. Depending on the size of their jurisdiction, sheriffs may act day-to-day as regular law enforcement officers or have more of a managerial role, overseeing police activity, county jails, and special investigations.

Sheriffs often serve very long tenures, as most states don’t have a limit to how many terms a person can hold the position. They also don’t have a whole lot of oversight beyond state constitutions and the voters who elect them, which opens the position up for abuse. For example, for decades, the infamous former Maricopa County Sheriff Joe Arpaio created self-proclaimed “concentration camps” to imprison undocumented immigrants in the Arizona desert, and his legacy of racism and xenophobia is still felt today.

Sheriffs are highly influential in establishing law enforcement’s culture, values, and behavior, and they often hold the most power in addressing police misconduct or providing appropriate jail conditions.

See if your state is holding elections for city or county sheriffs in 2020.