Election Day demonstrated that while America may be a split nation on several issues, protecting our air, land and water isn’t on that list. Conservation received overwhelming support this election year, making it a rare area of agreement amongst Americans divided on a host of other issues.
Conservation measures passed on 46 of the 57 state and local ballots where one was present. In left-leaning Gunnison County, Colorado, a 20-year, 1 percent sales tax extension for ranchland, park and open space protection passed with 80 percent of the vote. On the other side of the aisle, Romney-friendly Salt Lake County, Utah passed a bond measure to support regional parks and trails. In Colorado, voters passed three out of four initiatives to increase local sales taxes to fund open spaces, parks and trails.
In Montana, the senate race between Democrat Jon Tester and Republican Denny Rehberg was considered one of the most heated in the country. On Election Day, the decision came down to sportsmen and women, whose support had garnered much of the media spotlight during the contentious race. Tester’s commitment to protect Montana’s wilderness and the interests of outdoor enthusiasts allowed him to keep his seat in the Senate, despite the state casting its electoral votes for Gov. Romney.
Election Day’s results proved the importance of healthy lands and water is not an issue specific to a particular party or region. Conservation measures passed across the country this year, from traditionally red states like Alabama and Texas, to blue states like California and Maine. Conservation’s success goes beyond politics and reveals the simple fact that preserving our water and land is patriotic. American prosperity is rooted in our natural resources, and protection of those resources is the key to our continued success as a nation.
In spite of our tendency to categorize states and assign issues to one party or another’s agenda, this year’s support for conservation illustrates Americans’ ability to achieve bipartisanship in the name of protecting and preserving our land and water for future generations.