5 Key Races That Will Shape the Minimum Wage Debate Nationwide

image
Author: Crowdpac
Published: 15 Jul, 2016
Updated: 17 Oct, 2022
1 min read

Few political battles have waged as intensely as the campaign to raise the minimum wage. Proponents insist raising the wage is critical to lifting working families from poverty while opponents insist that an increase could devastate small businesses. Yet one can sometimes feel detached by the apparent impossibility of having real impact on the debate and moving the issue forward. But it turns out that normal people can in fact have a effect real change. The key is to go local.

While the federal level remains in gridlock, cities have been able to move forward with minimum wage increases, sometimes in stark contrast to their state’s regulations.

We've identified five key races that are likely to reshape the minimum wage debate. They are the hidden battlefields in a debate that has claimed headlines across the country. Each mayor has made their own statement on the minimum wage and taken on their city councils, local interest groups, and even their state governors to advocate for their side.

xstchca9nxjxtjntwyyi

By supporting or opposing the candidates above, you can have the most impact - the most bang for your buck - on the issue. If you are for raising the minimum wage, help the candidates that support wage increases. If you are against wage increases, support the candidates who oppose it. Below you will find in-depth information on why each city made the list.

Editor's note: This analysis originally published on Crowdpac's blog on July 15, 2016.

Photo Credit: Martin Prague / shutterstock.com

Latest articles

CA capitol building dome with flags.
Why is CA Senator Mike McGuire Trying to Kill the Legal Cannabis Industry?
California’s legal cannabis industry is under mounting pressure, and in early June, state lawmakers and the governor appeared poised to help. A bill to freeze the state’s cannabis excise tax at 15% sailed through the State Assembly with a unanimous 74-0 vote. The governor’s office backed the plan. And legal cannabis businesses, still struggling to compete with unregulated sellers and mounting operating costs, saw a glimmer of hope....
03 Jul, 2025
-
7 min read
I voted buttons
After First RCV Election, Charlottesville Voters Back the Reform: 'They Get It, They Like It, They Want to Do It Again'
A new survey out of Charlottesville, Virginia, shows overwhelming support for ranked choice voting (RCV) following the city’s first use of the system in its June Democratic primary for City Council. Conducted one week after the election, the results found that nearly 90% of respondents support continued use of RCV....
03 Jul, 2025
-
3 min read
Crowd in Time Square.
NYC Exit Survey: 96% of Voters Understood Their Ranked Choice Ballots
An exit poll conducted by SurveyUSA on behalf of the nonprofit better elections group FairVote finds that ranked choice voting (RCV) continues to be supported by a vast majority of voters who find it simple, fair, and easy to use. The findings come in the wake of the city’s third use of RCV in its June 2025 primary elections....
01 Jul, 2025
-
6 min read