Americans worried about the health of our democracy tend to look to Washington. But strengthening democracy is not only about what happens in Congress. It is also about who sits in our city halls and school board meetings, and whether the people making decisions at every level of government reflect the communities they serve.
This fall, we have an opportunity to help shape that government. Yet many of us will only pay attention to the race at the top of the ballot and barely notice the rest.
That is a missed opportunity. If we want a more representative democracy, we have to build it up and down the ballot.
Some of these offices may be less familiar, but their impact is significant. The leaders elected to these positions make decisions about our schools, housing, transportation, public safety, and countless issues that shape our everyday lives. It matters who sits at those tables.
At New American Leaders, the nonpartisan nonprofit I lead, we prepare first- and second-generation Americans to participate in civic life, run for office and govern effectively. Our work is grounded in a simple idea: The people making decisions on behalf of our communities should understand and reflect the people who live in them. We are proud of alumni like Congresswoman Pramila Jayapal, Michigan State Senator Stephanie Chang, and State Senator Kristin Gonzalez. We're equally energized by the work of alumni serving in local posts.
In Detroit, Council Member Gabriela Santiago-Romero helped develop a down-payment assistance program designed to help more than 1,000 Detroiters become first-time homeowners.
In Nevada, Aaron Bautista, a special education teacher elected to the Nevada System of Higher Education Board of Regents, has focused on higher-education accessibility and affordability and helping current educators pursue further education.
And in Georgia, DeKalb County School Board member Awet Eyasu has brought the perspective of an immigrant to decisions affecting one of the state's largest school districts.
This is all important work happening within our communities. And it's being carried out by New Americans.
Nearly 1 in 10 eligible voters in the United States is a naturalized citizen. That's around 23.8 million people, roughly the entire population of Florida. Our communities are changing, and it's past time our institutions reflect those changes.
There are encouraging signs. Research from New American Leaders Action Fund (NALAF), our affiliated 501(c)(4) organization, identified 419 first- and second-generation Americans serving in 43 state legislatures in 2026, nearly 16 percent more than in 2024. And, despite anti-immigrant rhetoric, over 1,300 New Americans ran for office this cycle according to NALAF's New American Candidate Database.
Yet New Americans still account for only 5.67 percent of state legislators nationwide.
We need more diverse candidates to raise their hands for public leadership at all levels. And, when they do, we all need to show up and vote.
I know voting can feel inadequate in the face of the affordability crisis, attacks against women's rights, and surges in xenophobia. It can feel even more daunting against the backdrop of political polarization and declining trust in our democracy. A single ballot will not solve those problems.
But thousands of ballots and everyday decisions about who governs our communities collectively determine what our government looks like, and what changes we'll begin to see. When we cast our vote for positions up and down the ballot, we affirm the kind of future we want.
So take time to learn what positions are on your ballot. Discover your potential representatives and decide whether they are equipped to address the needs of your diverse community.
If we want a democracy that reflects America, we have to build it up and down the ballot.
About Ghida Dagher: Ghida Dagher is President and CEO of New American Leaders and New American Leaders Action Fund. When she was nine, Ghida's family arrived from Lebanon and Sierra Leone seeking asylum. This immigrant experience and her real-world understanding of struggle and opportunity have shaped her leadership. She recently served as Director of Appointments for Michigan Governor Gretchen Whitmer, where she oversaw the appointments to the state's 350 boards and commissions, as well as judicial and senior administrative appointments. Previously, Ghida was Director of Government Partnerships & Community Affairs at United Way for Southeastern Michigan and led initiatives on immigrant rights and civil liberties at the National Network for Arab American Communities at ACCESS. Ghida has served as a strategist on local, state, and national issue-based and candidate-based campaigns. She is a proud alumna of NAL's Ready to Lead training and has served as a NAL trainer for several years.
Ghida Dagher is president and CEO of New American Leaders
