Take the Little Lobbyists Voter Pledge! The Witzler Family Did in Maryland!

The Witzler Family enjoying a hike along a riverbank. Peter (l) wears a yellow shirt and baseball hat. Jackson, who wears jet-fighter-style sunglasses and is making a peace sign, is strapped to Peter’s back in a child carrier. Lisa, Jackson’s mom (foreground), wears a pink shirt and sunglasses. Jackson’s brother Teddy is in the background, wearing a blue shirt and looking into the river.

We want YOU to be a Little Lobbyists voter! Take our pledge to vote for candidates who will protect and expand the rights of children with complex medical needs and disabilities. We have to elect more candidates into office who share our belief in equity, accessibility, and inclusion to remove barriers and advance the policies our families need.

Voting is one of the most powerful ways to make your voice heard and make our country – from County seat to the U.S. Capitol – the more just and inclusive place ALL our children deserve, but we can’t do it without your vote.

Take the pledge to be a Little Lobbyists Voter.

As we lead up to the election, we are sharing a few personal stories about why folks are taking the Little Lobbyists Voter Pledge and who they are supporting with their vote.

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My son Jackson is an amazingly funny, strong-willed, independent 7 year old who loves Legos and playing Nintendo with his big brother Teddy. He just started playing sled hockey and according to his coaches is a real natural, quickly learning how to skate, pass and shoot at his first practice. Jackson was born with Spina Bifida. He uses braces and a walker or wheelchair to get around, and uses a machine to make sure he keeps breathing at night. During his first six months of life, he endured three brain surgeries, spending more time in the hospital than home with his family, and racking up over a million dollars in medical bills.

As Jackson now grows into a healthy, strong young man, he’s going to depend on Maryland's Home and Community-Based Services (HCBS) and other supports to live independently, life-long, in his community. Unfortunately these services are massively underfunded. In Maryland, there are 31,000 people on HCBS waiting lists; nationwide, 820,000 people are waiting for services.

That’s why I’m a Little Lobbyists Voter who is pledging my vote to candidates who will work to ensure every child like Jackson in Maryland will have access to the health care, education, and community inclusion they need to not just survive – but THRIVE.

That's why I am thrilled to be voting for Wes Moore and Aruna Miller for Governor and Lieutenant Governor of Maryland. As a parent of a kid with complex medical needs and disabilities, it sometimes feels like we are all alone in our struggles. Wes Moore’s message, “Leave No One Behind,” really resonates with me.

I know with Wes Moore and Aruna Miller at the lead, our state agencies will be working hard to get those 31,000 Marylanders off waiting lists and into their communities, where they belong. I know that we’ll have willing partners and allies to improve and expand services. I know that Wes and Aruna will not leave families like ours behind to fend for themselves.