Leading up to the presidential election, many students (like myself) feel a compelling need to get involved and leave their mark on campaign season. However, there are several races up and down the ballot that largely become ignored. Namely, your Georgia State House Representative and State Senators are the elected officials making decisions that impact your life every single day.
Currently, I serve as the Chief of Staff to Representative Spencer Frye, whose district comprises UGA’s campus, downtown Athens, and many surrounding neighborhoods. Though he’s running unopposed this election cycle, I’ve hit the ground running, knocking on doors around Athens and asking constituents what issues they care about solving. Almost every resident knows who is at the top of the ticket, but Rep. Frye’s name is unfamiliar to most, even after representing Athens in the Georgia General Assembly for over a decade.
In the state of Georgia, your state legislators focus on a wide variety of topics: traffic violations, the HOPE scholarship, and food security policies that impact your life daily. During this cycle, more questions than ever have been raised about the policy measures on your ballot. Each of these measures was placed on the ballot with at least two-thirds of the legislative vote–meaning that there’s a good chance your elected officials voted for the measure while it was still a bill.
I consider myself lucky to witness the inner workings of legislators, committees, and the state House. Personally, I’ve had the privilege of contributing to legislation that impacts the everyday Georgian. Tax credits, housing, and education are just a few of the issues I’ve concentrated on over the last full legislative session (2023-2024), but constituents and students often don’t turn to their local legislators on these issues.
So how do students get to know their legislators, and what do they do? I recommend visiting the Gold Dome while the General Assembly is in session from early January to late March. Each constituent has the opportunity to watch bills being passed on the floor in real-time, and depending on how busy your legislators are, you might get to meet them! Furthermore, internships like the Frye Fellowship and the Georgia Legislative Internship Program (GLIP) allow students the ability to work on substantial legislation and truly learn the process. Lastly, for students unable to be there in person, email and call your legislators’ offices about the issues you care about. The opinions of constituents are highly influential, especially in politically divided districts.
Remember: as this election cycle comes to a close, the excitement doesn’t end on November 6, 2024. In fact, true change begins the second Monday of January down in Atlanta. Find out who your legislators are and get involved in the legislative process at the most accessible level, in your own backyard. Welcome to the world of Georgia politics–we’re excited to have you!
- Juliana Hartley, Senior Political Science and Economics Student
