Public health is often presented as a binary, but like many things in life, it is more of a
spectrum. So where does casting your ballot fall on that spectrum?

The federal agencies that control the policies and procedures that govern public health
are largely staffed by hired individuals but led by appointed individuals. Who you vote
for determines who is leading organizations like the CDC, NIH, EPA, and others. When
you elect a presidential administration, you are also electing a cascade of federally
appointed public health administrations.

Those appointed individuals not only fill important posts within their organizations with
their preferred candidates, they also necessarily shift the direction of the agency, often
suspending or initiating large impactful programs. These large impactful programs may
take a bit of time to show up in everyday life or the effects may be immediate, but either
way, who you vote for directly impacts who is in charge of the most prominent health
institutions in the United States.

Voting is extremely public health.