Written by Rachelle Giles, Vice President, Local Government Relations at Goodman Schwartz Public Affairs, and VYP Vice Chair.
For many young professionals, “getting involved in politics” can sound like a fairly major commitment. You may picture working on a campaign, attending partisan events or becoming the person in your friend group who suddenly has very strong opinions about legislative procedure and policy.
It doesn’t have to look like any of those things.
Civic and political involvement exists on a spectrum, and one of the best ways to start is simply by becoming more familiar with the people, institutions and decisions shaping your community.
Start with the basics: make sure you can vote. If you are eligible to vote, register and periodically check that your registration information is current, particularly after a move or other change. In Arizona, eligible voters with an Arizona driver license or state-issued identification card can register or update their registration online through AZMVDNow. Registration is also available by mail or through your County Recorder’s Office. The Arizona Secretary of State’s voter information portal allows voters to check their registration status, districts and other election information. For the November 3, 2026 General Election, Arizona’s voter-registration deadline is October 5.
Voting is one important way to participate, but it doesn’t have to be the only one.
Start paying attention. Learn who represents you at the city, county, state and federal levels. Follow a few issues that intersect with your profession or matter to you personally. Read a city council agenda once in a while. Sign up for updates from organizations already following public policy.
Professional organizations can make this much easier. The Greater Phoenix Chamber offers opportunities to learn about public policy through its Public Affairs and issue committees, policy resources and programs featuring elected officials, candidates and community leaders. These can be valuable ways to understand an issue before deciding whether or how you want to engage.
Then, show up. Attend a candidate forum, State of the City address, community meeting or public-policy discussion. Campaign fundraisers are another option. You do not have to be a major donor; these events can provide an opportunity to hear directly from candidates and elected officials and begin understanding who they are outside of campaign advertising.
If there is a candidate or cause you believe in, involvement can go further. Volunteer for a campaign. Help an issue organization. Contact an elected official about legislation. Apply for a local board or commission. Eventually, you may even decide to support candidates financially or become involved in an organization’s political action committee.
None of this requires agreeing with everyone in the room.
In fact, one of the most valuable professional skills you can develop is learning how to build relationships with people whose politics, backgrounds or perspectives differ from your own. Government decisions affect our workplaces, neighborhoods, infrastructure, schools and economy. Understanding how those decisions get made makes you a more informed community member and, often, a better professional.
You also don’t have to do everything.
Register to vote. Pick an issue. Attend one event. Meet one person. Ask one question.
Political engagement becomes much less intimidating once you realize that, at its core, it starts the same way most professional development does: be curious, show up and build relationships.
Rachelle Giles is, admittedly, a “political person.” As Vice President of Local Government Relations and Association Management at Goodman Schwartz Public Affairs, she has spent more than 17 years working in and around government and politics, including roles in a governor’s office, the U.S. Senate, political campaigns and Phoenix City Hall. Today, she helps clients navigate public policy and community engagement and serves as Vice Chair on the Greater Phoenix Chamber’s Valley Young Professionals Board.