On the eve of the election, the ultimate choice rests in your hands: will you complete your ballot and vote to protect the first responders who risk everything for you?
As the sun sets on this election eve, the political ads will finally fade from our screens, and the relentless campaigning will fall silent. Tomorrow, you will step into the voting booth or sign your mail-in ballot, carrying the power to decide the future of your community. While the top of the ticket represents national debates, it is the local measures at the very bottom that will determine whether a firetruck arrives at your home in an emergency.
Our local first responders do not ask about your political party before pulling you from a burning building or treating a medical emergency. They respond to every single call for help with the same relentless courage, putting their own lives and health on the line to keep us safe. Tomorrow, we have a rare and powerful opportunity to return that dedication by voting to protect their funding, equipment, and safety.
Your local vote is the most direct way to show your gratitude and support. To ensure our safety net remains strong, we must finish our ballots and say yes to the men and women who stand in the fire.
The Ultimate Down-Ballot Duty: Saying YES to First Responders
When you look at your ballot tomorrow, it is easy to get overwhelmed by the sheer volume of candidates and questions. But skipping the local measures at the very bottom is a silent choice that directly harms your local fire and EMS departments. This is why the Firefighters Voters Alliance works tirelessly to mobilize everyday citizens behind municipal ballot initiatives, equipment bonds, and local safety budgets.
A local option levy is a voter-approved property tax rate that is set for a specific number of years to fund critical daily operations, such as hiring personnel and buying medical supplies. Without these voter-approved levies, departments are forced to make immediate and devastating cuts to their active crews and equipment.
Our first responders are facing a silent crisis of funding neglect, but your vote tomorrow can act as their shield. By voting YES on local safety measures, you ensure that your local department has the resources to respond to your family’s worst day.
Case Study: Springfield, Oregon’s Fire and Life Safety Levy
To see how community action can save a local fire department, we only have to look at the recent victory in Springfield, Oregon. In November 2025, Springfield voters were faced with Ballot Measure 20-371, a crucial five-year fire and life safety operating levy. The levy proposed a rate of $0.53 per $1,000 of assessed property value, representing a modest 15-cent increase over the expiring rate.
Prior to the vote, Eugene-Springfield Fire Station 3 was only partially funded by the old levy, with the remaining third subsidized by the city’s already overburdened general fund. If Measure 20-371 failed, the city would have been forced to eliminate an entire fire engine company, leaving Springfield with only four active fire engine crews. This reduction would have resulted in significantly longer response times for the city’s 60,000 residents, who generated over 18,000 emergency calls in fiscal year 2024 alone.
The cost to save this vital fire company was incredibly small. For an average homeowner with an assessed home value of $189,000, the levy cost approximately $100 per year—or just $8.33 a month. Recognizing that a few dollars a month was a small price to pay for rapid emergency response, the Springfield community rallied together.
Voters overwhelmingly approved Measure 20-371 with a massive 68% “YES” vote. This decisive victory fully funded Fire Station 3, secured seven full-time equivalent firefighter-paramedic positions, and guaranteed that response times across the city remain safe and rapid. The success in Springfield serves as a powerful reminder of what happens when a community refuses to let national political noise drown out local public safety.
Why Your Vote is Their Only Shield
Beyond funding fire engines, your local vote directly impacts the physical and mental health of our first responders. The Firefighters Voters Alliance and the Firefighter’s Support Alliance champion critical safety standards, such as replacing turnout gear lined with toxic PFAS “forever chemicals” and expanding occupational cancer coverage. When we vote to properly fund our departments, we enable them to purchase safe, toxin-free gear and install modern exhaust-capture systems in firehouses.
Proper local funding also supports crucial mental health resources. Firefighters and paramedics witness unimaginable trauma on a daily basis, leading to high rates of occupational PTSD and depression. Dedicated local levies provide the funding needed to establish peer-support networks, crisis counseling, and mental health resiliency training for frontline crews.
When we fail to vote for these levies, we force our first responders to work longer shifts with fewer resources, leading to severe physical exhaustion and high burnout rates. Your vote tomorrow is a direct vote to protect their physical safety, their long-term health, and their peace of mind.
The Election Eve Pledge: Finish the Ballot
As you prepare to vote tomorrow, make a personal pledge to fight ballot fatigue and scroll all the way to the very bottom of your ticket. Do not let the complex municipal language or tax jargon deter you from supporting your local fire and EMS departments. Remember that these local safety measures have a far more immediate impact on your daily life and family safety than any national race.
Our first responders stand ready to protect us twenty-four hours a day, seven days a week, without hesitation. Tomorrow, it is our turn to stand up for them in the voting booth.
A Simple Action Plan for Election Day
You can make a massive difference in your community’s safety tomorrow by following these three simple steps:
- Scroll to the Very Bottom: When you cast your vote, start from the bottom of your ballot to ensure that local fire, EMS, and public safety measures receive your full attention.
- Vote YES on Public Safety Levies: Support local levies, bonds, and essential service designations to guarantee that first responders have the staffing, equipment, and health protections they deserve.
- Bring Two Neighbors with You: Reach out to friends and family members and remind them that local public safety measures are on the ballot. Urge them to vote and help protect those who protect us.
