When it comes to union jobs, safety, health care, strong pensions and other priorities for IBEW members, there are no better allies in public office than our own brothers and sisters.

You’ll find them at every level of government across the United States and Canada, from sewer commissions and transit authorities to city councils, school boards, statehouses, even Congress and Parliament.

In the U.S., more than 700 IBEW members and retirees hold elected office, and those are just the ones we know about. The actual figure is likely higher and growing, with many new IBEW names on 2026 ballots.

One of them, Tampa Local 915 organizer Brian Nathan, made national news in March with his headline-grabbing Florida Senate victory. Emphasizing affordability, Brother Nathan took his pro-worker message door to door and to pop-up events where all comers could ask questions. His hard work and sincerity were enough to beat an opponent who outspent him 10 to 1.

In other words, we can do it, even in places long dominated by anti-worker politicians and their billionaire donors. And right now, with fierce attacks on our rights and soaring prices squeezing our household budgets, it’s urgent that we try.

I’m not here to push anyone out of their comfort zone. If you vote for pro-worker candidates, that’s great. If you volunteer for them, even better. But I’ll bet more than a few of you have thought about running for office yourselves.

Maybe you’ve griped about your utility board accepting low bids on big projects rather than hiring proven IBEW contractors who’d save ratepayers money in the long run. Or you’ve railed about county or state leaders killing PLAs and prevailing wage.

Imagine bringing your knowledge and experience to those kinds of policy debates. Your vote could be the difference between shoddy work and safe, high-quality building projects that create family-wage union jobs.

In January, The Electrical Worker featured three IBEW members who won local races in 2025, including Stephen Nowicki, a young journeyman wireman out of Buffalo, N.Y., Local 41. Fed up with public works decaying across his suburb, Brother Nowicki filed to run for town council and started knocking on doors. He said: “The biggest thing I sold people on was: ‘Look at how expensive it is to fix things in your home. Have you ever seen a project get cheaper the longer you wait? Apply that to our roads and our sewers.’”

That’s a skilled tradesman talking, and voters listened. And if you decide to toss your hat in the ring, they’ll listen to you, too.

Our highest officeholder, Rep. Donald Norcross of Folsom, N.J., Local 351, has been our champion on Capitol Hill since 2015. He co-established the bipartisan House Building Trades Caucus during his first term, and his long list of IBEW-friendly bills keeps growing. Just one example: his proposed No Tax Breaks for Union Busting Act would strip federal subsidies from companies that violate labor laws.

From rural water districts to Congress, I couldn’t be prouder or more grateful to all of you who’ve run for office. Whether or not you won, you gave voice to our battles and values. I hope your courage inspires more of us to do the same.