As you know, there's an election coming up on November 7th. And you know it's a local election, where we elect representatives to our city governments, to our local school boards, to county positions, community college trustee boards, water boards, and so on. You also know it's not going to garner a lot of headlines, a lot of turnout, or a lot of interest.

But it should.

You know local elections are important fbecause these officials are the ones that touch our daily lives the most. Their decisions affect our children, our homes, our purchases, and our taxes directly. But there's a second reason that is just as important. These local offices serve as a springboard for candidates to seek higher office.

Let us illustrate the point.

There are 165 state Senators and Representatives in the Kansas Legislature. Some were elected recently, a handful have been appointed, but all of them serve Kansans. In our vote count scorecard, we assigned a percentage score in agreement with MainStream's positions. A score of 0% means the legislator never once voted in favor of the positions of the MainStream Coalition. A score of 100% is the opposite.

• Where we stand, MainStream's mission and 2017 legislative positions
• MainStream's 2017 scorecard

These legislators influence the lives of Kansans from their seats in Topeka.

But they started in local government.

Below is a list of just the 0% and the 100% legislators who began their careers in elections like the one on November 7th. 

School Boards

• Sen. Larry Alley (0%) - President, Douglass School Board
• Sen. Steve Fitzgerald (0%) - Vice-President, Leavenworth School Board
• Sen. Lynn Rogers (100%) - Wichita School Board
• Rep. Barbara Ballard (100%)- Lawrence School Board
• Rep. Debbie Deere (100%) - Lansing School Board
• Rep. Jim Gartner (100%) - President, Auburn Washburn School Board
• Rep. Steve Huebert (0%) - Valley Center School Board
• Rep. Kevin Jones (0%) - Wellsville School Board
• Rep. Cindy Neighbor (100%) - Shawnee Mission School Board
• Rep. Jim Ward (100%) - Wichita School Board

Community College

• Sen. Molly Baumgardner (0%) - Trustee, Johnson County Community College

Municipal Government

• Sen. John Doll (100%) - Mayor, Garden City
• Sen. Marci Francisco (100%) - Mayor and Commissioner, Lawrence
• Sen. Randall Hardy (100%) - Salina City Commission
• Sen. Ty Masterson (0%) - Andover City Council
• Sen. Pat Pettey (100%) - UG Wyandotte/KCK Commission
• Sen. John Skubal (100%) - Overland Park City Council
• Rep. Francis Awerkamp (0%) - Mayor and Commissioner, Saint Mary
• Rep. Sydney Carlin (100%) - Mayor and Commissioner, Manhattan
• Rep. Steven Crum (100%) - Haysville City Council
• Rep. Dennis Highberger (100%) - Mayor and Commissioner, Lawrence
• Rep. Monica Murnan (100%) - Mayor and Commissioner, Pittsburg
• Rep. Jim Ward (100%) - Wichita City Council
• Rep. Kristey Williams (0%) - Mayor, Augusta

Who among those vying for local seats in your community on November 7 will go on to be influential state legislators? Shouldn't you have a say now?

Do more than vote. Get informed, get involved, make a difference.