The following is a monthly guest column submitted by state Rep. Meghan Lukens of Steamboat Springs.

Our democracy only works when we defend it – peacefully, powerfully, and together, and last Saturday millions of people did just that. Across all 50 states, people participated in the No Kings rallies, and right here in House District 26, I had the honor of joining you at both the Edwards and Steamboat Springs gatherings. Seeing neighbors of all ages and backgrounds come together to defend democracy reminded me of why I ran for office in the first place.

The message was clear: we show up because we love this country, and because we love it, we hold it accountable to live up to its highest ideals. At the state level, we’re protecting those democratic rights and freedoms here in Colorado.

Proposition LL and Proposition MM

It’s almost Election Day! As people are turning in their ballots across Colorado, I wanted to highlight two propositions I am supporting. Children with full bellies are more engaged and attentive in the classroom. They shouldn’t have to worry about the cost of lunch, or skip a meal because their family can’t afford it. But two out of five families struggle to put food on the table – and, for many children, breakfast or lunch at school is the most nutritious meal they’ll eat all day. By voting yes on LL and MM, we can continue Colorado’s successful Healthy School Meals for All program, so every child in Colorado can continue to be fed in school, leading to better grades, higher graduation rates, and better outcomes for students.

LL and MM will also strengthen our local economy by incentivizing schools to purchase fresh ingredients from Colorado farmers and ranchers and providing resources to Colorado school districts to train staff to prepare healthy meals from scratch, increase pay for workers preparing and serving meals to students, and upgrade food service equipment.

Fortifying Voting Rights in Colorado

One of the clearest threats to democracy is making it harder for people to vote. We’ve watched as some states have rolled back voting access, and there are ongoing efforts in Washington to weaken voter protections that have existed for decades.

Here in Colorado, we passed SB25-001 to lock in strong voting protections at the state level. This means that even if the federal Voting Rights Act is gutted, Colorado will maintain safeguards that prevent discrimination at the ballot box and ensure communities that have historically faced voting barriers get the information and access they need.

We also tackled voter intimidation head-on with HB25-1225. This law protects everyone involved in the voting process – voters, poll workers, election judges – from threats and harassment. The message is simple: in Colorado, intimidating voters or election workers won’t be tolerated.

Defending the Freedom to Learn

My background as a teacher shapes how I think about democracy. You can’t have an informed electorate if people can’t access information and ideas freely. That’s why the wave of book bans we’re seeing across the country is so troubling.

Through SB25-063, we created protections for school libraries. This law requires school boards to have clear, fair policies for selecting books and responding to challenges. Schools are for learning, and this law shields our libraries from D.C. culture wars by ensuring students have access to age-appropriate books that cover all topics. Democracy works best when people can think critically and engage with different viewpoints – even difficult ones.

Standing Up for Everyone’s Rights

We strengthened Colorado’s anti-discrimination protections this year, particularly for people with disabilities, through HB25-1239. Every person deserves to be treated fairly, period.

And following voters’ approval of Amendment J, which removed outdated discriminatory language about marriage from our state constitution, we updated Colorado law through SB25-014 to reflect that change. When Colorado voters speak, we listen.

We also passed SB25-196 to protect access to preventive health care. If the federal government weakens rules requiring insurance companies to cover essential care like cancer screenings and vaccinations, this law ensures Colorado can maintain those protections.

What You Can Do

The rallies showed that people care deeply about democracy. Here’s what matters: Vote in every election – not just presidential years. Election day is right around the corner. Make sure to get your ballot in by 7 p.m. on Tuesday, Nov. 4. Talk to your neighbors about why voting matters.

Consider volunteering as an election judge. If you are a high school student, you can participate in the Student Election Judges Program.