A high turnover of seats in the Louisiana Legislature could make the statewide elections in October and November some of the most important in the state’s recent history. Three well-respected nonpartisan organizations are going all out to get voters involved because they are the only ones who can bring about changes that will help Louisiana rise off the bottom of too many rankings.

The Committee of 100, the Council for a Better Louisiana (CABL) and the Public Affairs Research Council of Louisiana are telling voters how they can help “RESET Louisiana’s Future.”

Up for grabs in October and November are the governor’s office and every seat in the 144-member state Legislature. Local officials will also be elected, and they can help the statewide RESET movement succeed. However, change has to come from the executive and lawmaking branches of state government.

CABL said, “We’re also experiencing what has lately been a rare period of budget stability. All of this gives us the opportunity to focus not just on keeping the wheels from falling off of state government, but to implement changes that will actually move the state forward.”

Nothing is going to happen, the organization said, until voters ask candidates what they are going to do to fix the state’s roads, better educate and train its workforce and make changes that will actually move the state forward.

CABL outlined what each citizen can ask the candidates for governor and the Legislature:

* Ask them if they are satisfied with the status quo.

* Tell them that education, roads, smart approaches to public safety and economic competitiveness are important to each citizen.

* And let candidates know that the mandate from the people in 2019 is to begin to move the needle to make Louisiana better.

If voters like CABL on Facebook and follow the organization on Twitter, it can provide them with information that will help them sort out the complexities of many of the critical issues facing the state.

Voters can also go to CABL’s website (www.CABL.org)and subscribe to updates that will share ideas on what each person can do to amplify his or her voice this election season.

These nonpartisan organizations know that Louisiana is a great place to live, and that is why they want to see it become even better. CABL said now is the time to step forward because nothing changes while we wait.

We know our readers feel the same way, and we encourage them to give this election the valuable attention it deserves.