“At the bottom of all the tributes paid to democracy is the little man, walking into the little booth with a little pencil, making a little cross on a little bit of paper.” 

Winston Churchill’s words remind us that democracy rests on something simple: ordinary people showing up to have their say.

While we no longer use pencils in the polling booths, the simple act of filling in those circles on the screen carries real weight for our business community this November.

Kansas voters will decide races with direct consequences for how we do business here: U.S. Senate and House, the Kansas House of Representatives and the Johnson County Board of County Commissioners. Together, these offices touch nearly every lever that affects how businesses operate, grow and compete, from federal tax and trade policy to the local roads employees drive to work.

The U.S. Senate and House races will help determine the direction of federal policy on taxation, healthcare, trade and regulation, decisions with consequences that reach every business, regardless of size or industry. Kansas House races decide the state budget, workforce development funding, business tax policy and the regulatory environment companies operate within every day. And decisions by the Board of County Commissioners shape infrastructure investment, public safety funding and property tax policy that determine our community’s ability to attract and retain business.

The stakes are high. A legislator’s vote on a single tax bill can affect a company’s bottom line. A commissioner’s decision on infrastructure spending can shape how our county develops. Low turnout in these races means a smaller share of voters, and often a smaller share of the business community, decides outcomes that affect everyone.

The Overland Park Chamber believes every business owner, employee, and community member deserves to walk into the voting booth informed. We also know your day-to-day focus is running your business, not tracking every race on the ballot. That is why we built VoteJoCo.com, a non-partisan resource that helps voters see who is on their ballot and learn where candidates stand on the issues that matter most to our economy and community.

Our team has invested countless hours meeting with candidates up and down the ballot and learning their views on business and quality-of-life issues, so you don’t have to. Before you vote this November, visit VoteJoCo.com and encourage your friends, family and co-workers to do the same. The more of us who vote informed, the stronger the voice of the business community becomes.