Picture the air your kids breathe on the walk to school. The river you swam in as a kid. The summers that used to feel like summer. The rooftop down the street that now makes its own power.

None of it is guaranteed. Every bit of it is shaped by the people we elect: who set the limits on what comes out of a smokestack, who protect our land and water, who decide whether our energy comes from the sun and wind or from something we have to burn.

The climate is on the ballot. It always has been.  This year, that ballot is critical. On November 3, we choose a new Congress, 36 governors, 30 attorneys general, and thousands of state and local officials. That’s not one decision about the climate. It’s thousands of them in one day.

And the people who care most about the climate have more say in those decisions than they know.

The Environmental Voter Project estimates that more than 13 million environmentalists typically skip midterm elections. These are people who rank the environment as a top priority, and they’re already registered. Overall, only about 46% of eligible voters cast a ballot that year.

Think about what that means. Thirteen million people who already care, are already registered, and are already on our side. That’s the biggest untapped force in the climate movement.
All we have to do is show up.

Maybe you’ve looked at the top of your ballot and wondered whether your vote will really matter. If so, look further down.
In nine states, voters directly elect the utility commissioners who approve rate hikes and power plants. Across the country, attorneys general, state legislators, county commissioners, and school boards make decisions about energy, land, and clean air. These races often turn on a few thousand votes. Some have been decided by a single ballot.

Last November, Georgia voters replaced two sitting utility regulators in an off-year election many people didn’t know was happening. People who showed up because of their power bills changed who sets them.

The smaller the race, the bigger your voice in it.

So this week, check your registration at vote.gov, even if you’re sure you’re registered. Some states close registration today. Make a plan for when and how you’ll vote. Then reach out to three people who care about the climate and help them do the same.

There are millions of us. This November, let’s be counted.