Educators are united for positive change for their students and themselves
When policies come down from Tallahassee that are meant to cause chaos and sow division in public schools, it matters who is sitting on the school board.
We can elect candidates who will join with us and stand up for the best interests of students, educators and school communities. When we do that, we will have the necessary power to win fair raises for all employees, address ever-rising healthcare costs and be treated with the respect we deserve.
General Election: Nov. 5, 2024
| Sept. 21 | Vote-by-Mail begins* |
| Oct. 7 | Voter registration deadline |
| Oct. 26 | Early voting begins^ |
| Nov. 2 | Early voting ends^ |
| Nov. 5 | General Election Day |
* County elections officials may start sending ballots on the date shown. They will continue to send ballots up until the Friday before Election Day. Check with your county election officials for a more specific schedule.
^ Check with your local election officials for possible additional early voting dates and a complete list of early voting sites in your county.
FEA’s Voter Toolkit
Need clarity on the changing laws regarding vote-by-mail? Have questions about where to vote? The FEA Voter Toolkit (feaweb.org/elections) is the place to go. There you will find information on checking your voter registration, signing up to vote by mail, important election dates and how to make a plan to vote.
The toolkit also lets you see which candidates and proposed constitutional amendments have been endorsed by FEA and our local unions. Endorsements are based upon a commitment to our neighborhood public schools, colleges and universities, our students and to the people who work in public education. All endorsements are made by committees of FEA members like you. If you have questions about the endorsement process or would like to learn how you can get involved in the process in the future, reach out to your local president.
The General Election
As soon as the primary election ends, the general election gets into full swing. As in the primary election, it is important not to let the local races get drowned out in the noise of statewide and federal elections.
After all, the policies we most need to see changed in our public schools have been put into place by the 40 state senators and 120 state representatives who are elected at the local level. In order to address the teacher and staff shortage; make sure all students have the mental healthcare they need; strengthen the Florida Retirement System so that all educators can afford to retire with dignity; and repeal the 20-plus rules and laws surrounding teacher pay that have led to salary compression, we must support candidates who support public education.
When educators unite and vote for public education, we can make big, positive changes for ourselves, our students and our communities.
We know this because we have done it before.
Let’s remember, the majority of students in the state live in a county where voters have chosen to raise their own taxes in order to provide more funding for public schools. We have the power to create a better future and we have the responsibility to use that by power by voting.
Looking Ahead
Election day gets a lot of attention and rightfully so. But there is so much more to creating the change we need than participating in biennial elections. FEA and our local unions engage with policymakers year-round in attempts to create a better life for educators. The power we have to make those changes is directly related to the number of people who commit themselves to being involved throughout the year — not just on election day.
To learn how you can become more involved in creating a brighter future reach out to your local president today and text edactivist to 22394 to stay informed!
