Every election is important, but one could argue that the general election on Nov. 5 is the single most important election in our lifetime. As union members and public school educators, we have a clear choice: Kamala Harris.

We are also supporting Democratic candidates for the U.S. Congress in Westchester County and Long Island — races that will help determine which party controls the U.S. House of Representatives.

The political conversation in this country is more heated than ever and the prevalent emotion is, sadly, anger. But the union can’t back away from the political arena. Politics is a fundamental part of our work as a union because the UFT is a union of mostly public employees, and government policy shapes our rights and benefits as union members. It also determines funding for our schools.

The UFT endorses candidates in local races, our state affiliate NYSUT endorses candidates for state office, and our national union, the American Federation of Teachers, endorses at the national level. Each of us carefully vets candidates through the lens of what is in the best interest of our profession and who will make our lives better as union members and workers. We make our recommendations based on these criteria, and then you make your final decision in the voting booth.

The AFT has endorsed Vice President Kamala Harris in this election because she is the champion that we need to fight for public education and protect our rights as workers and union members. Her selection of Gov. Tim Walz as her running mate underscores her commitment to defending students, educators and workers. Governor Walz is a former high school social studies teacher, football coach and union member who has been a longtime friend of labor.

The Republican Party has a platform to destroy public education and undermine unions in this country. Let’s not forget Donald Trump’s first education secretary, Betsy DeVos, and her efforts to undermine public schools at every turn.

A quick look at Kamala Harris’ record shows us what we look for in a candidate. Harris has advocated for increased teacher pay. She supports loan forgiveness for public service workers and prosecuting colleges with predatory loan practices. A fierce opponent of book bans, she wants our students to learn accurate and multidimensional accounts of history. She’s called for gun reform that will reduce gun violence in schools. She’s advocated for increased Title I and Head Start funding. She has enforced and expanded Title IX, the federal law that prohibits discrimination against LGBTQ+ students at school. And, she chaired the White House Task Force on Worker Organizing and Empowerment, which aims to empower workers to organize and bargain with their employers.

There’s a quote that says, “You may not be interested in politics, but politics is interested in you.” This is particularly true in our line of work. That’s why this fall hundreds of UFT members dedicated their Saturdays to go door-knocking in Pennsylvania and volunteered at union phone banks in all five boroughs.

We are educators, and we can use our power to educate and effect change by helping those around us understand the importance of getting to the polls on Nov. 5.