Why Business Owners Must Make Their Voices Heard at the Ballot Box

From local government to Washington D.C., elected officials’ decisions affect taxes, regulations, workforce policy, infrastructure, energy, trade and countless other issues that impact businesses’ ability to grow and create jobs. That’s why it’s important for business owners to make their voices heard at the ballot box, experts said.

“We’re very much focused on how do we grow the economy. We want 3 percent growth — that’s a strong, robust economy,” said John Kirchner, executive director of Congressional and Public Affairs for the U.S. Chamber of Commerce, representing Iowa, Minnesota, Nebraska, North Dakota, South Dakota and Wisconsin. “Economic growth and GDP is very important to us. How do we grow the economy as a whole?”

Headquartered in Washington D.C., the U.S. Chamber of Commerce advocates for policies it believes will help grow businesses. It connects elected officials, local chambers of commerce and businesses with the aim of impacting state and federal policy.

“Business owners are really busy running their businesses — they don’t always have time to engage with lawmakers at the local, state or federal levels,” Mr. Kirchner said. “But they’re the job creators in their communities. Whether these communities will thrive or not thrive is based on how strong the business sector is.”

That’s why it’s incredibly important that business owners are engaged in the election process, he said.

“They need to tell their stories about how policy elements have affected them if they believe they need to change, or say thank you because something legislators passed has helped.”

• Trade – “We want fewer trade barriers. We’re focusing on telling the stories of the impact tariffs are having on businesses.”

• Immigration and workforce – “Almost every community I visit doesn't have enough workers, with the birth rate dropping and boomers retiring. We need smart immigration policy to get employers the workers they need for the jobs they have open.”

• Permitting reform – “It takes longer to permit a project than to build one. How do we streamline that process and make that process work faster?”

• AI — “Right now, there is no national AI regulatory policy. Businesses that work across state lines have to comply with all of these different policies because states are regulating it on their own.”

• Infrastructure reform – “We need to get products that are built and grown in Iowa to markets across the country and globe. To do that, we need functioning roads, rail, waterways and airports. We need smart, comprehensive infrastructure policy.”

• Housing – “This impacts every community. We don’t have enough housing and affordable housing. We’re not trying to create a one-size-fits-all solution.”

According to the Edelman Trust Barometer, employers are the most trusted source for employees. Employees are looking for nonpartisan information, said Nicole Crain, president of Iowa Association of Business and Industry.

“When we take a look at the things happening that affect employers' ability to invest in operations and hire more people, a lot of those decisions are made at the state and national level,” Ms. Crain said. “How they get permits is a regulatory function and the person in charge of the state appoints the individuals that decide. Our state budget, employee readiness, our ability to do business and whether Iowa stays open for business — it’s incumbent upon all of us to continue to elect individuals to support a pro-business environment in Iowa.”

A healthy economy requires engaged citizens. And for business owners, participating in elections is one important way to help shape the communities and economic future they work every day to build.

“We cannot wait for an election to be over to start talking about public policy,” Mr. Kirchner said. “If we want good pro-growth policies, we need to elect the politicians to implement them. If we want less regulation, faster permitting and a good AI policy, we need to send the right people to Washington.” ABI