As I was planning out my blog posts for this week, I knew that I couldn’t just do a “regular” post on the day after the election – it just felt too weird, after such an important (and fraught) day. But I also knew that I wouldn’t be able to know the outcome of the election before I wrote this, especially since the election results might take a while to become official.

So I’m going to keep today’s post short. I understand how heavy this election felt, and the importance of it. But what I want to remind everyone of is the importance of staying involved. Regardless of who wins and who loses, it doesn’t mean that the work is done – ESPECIALLY because so much of the work is done on the local or state levels, rather than the national one.

Whether you’re feeling hopeless or hopeful – take a moment. Allow yourself time to feel your emotions, because they are real and valid. But then after you’ve let yourself take that moment to yourself, make sure you don’t let your political interest wane just because the election is over. It’s so important to remain involved, and to educate yourself about the many ways that local/state politics have an impact on your life. Look for little ways to keep active politically – find about about local candidates, or a state issue that’s important to you. I know, personally, so many disability issues are decided on the state level.

I don’t want to take away from the seriousness of this election, or the importance of the results. But I just want to make sure we remember how important elections and politics can be once November is over, and how important it is to stay informed and involved.