This blog post was written by Kayla Dunn, United Way of King County editorial associate.

If there were an award for the most conventional, ordinary presidential election year, I doubt 2024 would make the short list.

Between the assassination attempt on former president Donald Trump, President Joe Biden stepping down as the Democratic nominee, the 34 felony convictions New York jurors slapped Trump with, or the 11th-hour decision to have Vice President Kamala Harris vie for the presidency, this election cycle is anything but bland.

Although it may be good for ratings—with Tuesday’s debate between Trump and Harris drawing an estimated 67 million viewers, according to Nielson media—the theatrics may be distracting Americans from the gravity of the power up for grabs.

On Tuesday, November 5, you are not only voting for who will lead the most powerful country in the world but also who will lead our state, what levies will pass, and who will represent Washington in Congress.

Many seats are open: statewide executives (such as the governor), three state Supreme Court seats, one US Senate position, US Representative positions, state legislators, several state courts of appeals and superior court positions, and some local offices (such as county commissioner).

Amanda Sandoval, United Way’s director of systems change and public policy, stressed the importance of voting in a recent episode of Hourglass, United Way’s podcast.

“I tell people if you are not going to vote for yourself, vote for your community, for your friends, for your families, for anyone and everyone who accesses these resources,” Sandoval said. “It truly affects all of us.”

We have 45 days until it’s time to vote.

That’s 45 days to research the issues, to learn about the people we’re putting in power, and to decide what we want our future to look like.

As an organization deeply invested in advocacy, we at United Way of King County urge you—despite theatrics and chatter—to remember the gravity of what’s at stake this fall and to vote.