This fall, something remarkable happened in Hebron: a longtime CSEA leader, Jan Lawrence helped flip his town’s leadership for the first time in 23 years, sweeping all 14 Democratic candidates into office. For a small town of fewer than 10,000 people, this wasn’t just an election, it was a seismic shift. And at the center of it was a union member who believed his community deserved better.

Jan’s transition from union leader to elected official is more than a personal achievement. It’s a story about what happens when working people step into public leadership with the same values they bring to the union: fairness, dignity, strong public services, and a commitment to building a community where everyone can thrive.

And it’s a reminder that sometimes the most powerful political change doesn’t come from the federal level.

As Jan sees it, municipal government is one of the few places left where people can still agree on the basics. Roads should be safe. Seniors should be able to stay in their homes. Families should be able to afford to live where they grew up. Towns need to attract businesses while keeping taxes fair. These aren’t partisan issues, they’re community issues.

And union members are uniquely equipped to address them.

“We’re used to solving problems. We’re used to listening. We’re used to building consensus,” Jan said. “That’s what local leadership requires.”

In Hebron, the biggest challenges mirrored what many communities face: affordability, housing shortages, and a tax structure that places too much pressure on working families. Jan ran with a clear message: grow the town’s economic base, expand affordable housing for seniors and young families, and modernize how the town invests in itself.

The result? Voters across parties, Democrats, Republicans, and the largest local bloc, unaffiliated residents, chose solutions over slogans.

Jan didn’t have to learn leadership on the fly. Years as a CSEA leader had already taught him how to run complex meetings, navigate disagreement, negotiate fairly, and understand the value of strong public services.

That experience was put to the test immediately: at his very first Town Council meeting, the newly elected chair was away—meaning Jan had to run the meeting himself.

“I wasn’t nervous at all,” he reflected. “Running P-4 Council meetings prepared me for that. The union teaches you how to be ready when it’s your turn to step up.”

His understanding of public-sector work has also shaped his priorities in office: ensuring town departments have the staffing, resources, and competitive wages they need to attract and retain talent. Hebron’s success, he says, depends directly on the workers who pave roads, maintain buildings, keep the water safe, and support families.

“That’s a union value,” he said. “Strong communities require strong public services.”

When Jan talks about why more union members should run for office, his answer is simple: because we bring the values communities need most.

Local government is where decisions feel tangible. It’s where you can talk about affordability without it becoming a national debate. It’s where you can work with neighbors across party lines. And it’s where working people can see the impact of their leadership in real time.

“At the federal level, that 20% we disagree on gets amplified,” Jan said. “But at the local level, the 80% we do agree on is right in front of us. That’s where we can make progress.”

He believes deeply that local politics is one of the few spaces left untouched by the corrosive influence of big money and polarization.

“It’s where democracy still feels real,” he said. “It’s where working people still have power.”

Jan’s win reflects the broader theme of what our union has been highlighting: the real political divide isn’t left versus right, it’s the haves versus the have-nots. And at the municipal level, that divide shows up as unaffordable housing, underfunded services, stagnant wages, and communities being priced out of their own towns.

By electing leaders rooted in the labor movement, towns gain champions who understand the stakes for working people and who bring practical, grounded solutions to the table.

Jan stepped up because he wanted to give back to the town he’s lived in for 26 years. He stayed because his community needed leadership that put people first.

Now, his story stands as an invitation to every union member who has ever wondered whether they could—or should—get involved.

The answer is yes.
Your community needs you.
And you might be the next leader who helps shape it.

Jan Lawrence being sworn in.