The November 3, 2026, general election is just weeks away, with all 435 seats in the U.S. House of Representatives and 35 seats in the U.S. Senate on the ballot. State and local elections will also have significant implications for the electrical contracting industry, making it important for IEC members to get informed and make their voices heard.
Early voting is available in most states, giving voters greater flexibility to cast their ballots ahead of Election Day. The National Conference of State Legislatures provides a state-by-state guide to early in-person voting to help voters understand their options.
Not sure where to vote? Vote.org’s polling place locator connects voters with their state’s election resources, while the U.S. Vote Foundation website provides contact information for local election offices that can answer questions about voting requirements, polling locations and Election Day procedures.
Because elections are administered primarily at the state and local levels, voting rules and procedures vary across the country. Voters should familiarize themselves with their state’s requirements and deadlines before heading to the polls.
Look Beyond Party Affiliation
IEC encourages members to examine candidates’ voting records and positions on issues affecting merit shop electrical contractors, including workforce development, apprenticeship, labor policy, regulatory reform and small business competitiveness.
“While party affiliation has historically been a useful indicator of where candidates may stand on core merit shop issues, it is increasingly important to evaluate individual candidates based on their actual voting records rather than assumptions about their political party,” said Ben Brubeck, Principal and CEO of Government Affairs Solutions, IEC’s federal lobbying firm. “We’ve seen this in the U.S. Senate with Republicans like Josh Hawley (R-MO) and Roger Marshall (R-KS), and in the House, where more than a dozen Republicans voted in support of the IEC-opposed Faster Labor Contracts Act.”
The Faster Labor Contracts Act (FLCA), which passed the House in June, illustrates why voting records matter. The legislation would impose strict timelines on first-contract negotiations between newly organized unions and employers, ultimately allowing a government-appointed arbitration panel to impose binding contract terms if an agreement cannot be reached.
IEC strongly opposes the FLCA because it would undermine the collective bargaining process by replacing voluntary agreements between employers and unions with government-imposed contract terms. The legislation could have significant consequences for merit shop contractors and their employees.
A recent Washington Post editorial, Congress wants faster union contracts — except for its own staff, highlights the fundamental concerns surrounding the legislation, including the double standard of lawmakers seeking to impose accelerated bargaining requirements on private-sector employers while Congress remains exempt from those same requirements.
Make Your Voice Heard
Elections have consequences for the merit shop philosophy, the future of the electrical contracting industry and the policies that affect IEC members every day. From Congress to state legislatures and local governments, elected officials make decisions that directly affect how electrical contractors operate, compete, and train the next generation of skilled workers.
IEC encourages all members to research the candidates, understand where they stand on issues important to our industry and exercise their right to vote on November 3 or during their state’s early voting period.
Members are also encouraged to contact their local IEC chapters, which may offer additional resources and information about candidates and issues affecting their communities.
Your vote is your voice. Make it count!