(This article originally appeared in the October 2026 issue of Military Officer magazine.)

The general election is Nov. 3, and for servicemembers, veterans, military families, and survivors, voting is one of the most direct ways to shape the policies that affect your community.

Military-connected voters bring firsthand experience with issues such as deployments, military health care, veterans benefits, and the transition to civilian life. Casting a ballot helps ensure those perspectives are represented in the decisions that shape the nation’s future.

About 17% of the 119th Congress has military experience, down from more than 70% in the 1970s. As fewer lawmakers arrive in Washington with firsthand military experience, fewer have lived the realities of deployments, PCS, navigating TRICARE and VA benefits, or transitioning from military to civilian life. That makes the voices of those who have served more important than ever.