Elections

Humane advocates who use their right to vote stand at the heart of our mission to end the suffering of animals—just as the right to vote is itself foundational to American democracy.

We are in the midst of the August recess—a traditional break in the DC legislative calendar for members of Congress and their staff to work from their congressional districts or in state. The halls of Congress are much quieter, with elected officials in their home districts and many legislative aides juggling their vacations with constituent work. Residents of Washington, D.C. even notice the lighter traffic and smaller crowds across the city.  

Just three years ago, HSLF played a critical role in the passage of California’s Proposition 12, which ushered in the strongest farm animal protection law in the world.

It’s something we may take for granted, sometimes, but every year is an election year, and one thing animal advocates shouldn’t forget is that every election has profound implications for animals and for the fortunes of the animal welfare movement. Yesterday provided yet another reminder of this, as voters cast their ballots for statewide offices in New Jersey and Virginia, special elections to fill vacancies in the U.S. Congress, and thousands of municipal offices across the nation.

Our mission is to end suffering for all animals, most directly by boosting the political power of the humane movement in Washington, DC and in our states. This is just one of the reasons we encourage supporters to cast a ballot in every election. Perhaps because we take a range of concerns into the voting booth, we don’t always appreciate the point, but for animals, our election of the right candidates can be a make-or-break decision.