You may not know who’s running for DA. But you need to.

In New York, our District Attorneys are responsible for representing “the People” in court. They have the power to make some of the most consequential decisions in our justice system. They can determine whom to charge and what to charge them with, whom to prosecute, and who would be better served in a rehabilitative or treatment program. They recommend bail amounts and whether a person should be held in jail before their trial. For acts of police misconduct, they are responsible for making sure independent actors, such as special prosecutors, conduct investigations appropriately. This is an enormously influential position.

As Election Day approaches and voters head to the polls to elect a new DA, Rensselaer County residents should ask themselves what happens when The People have been failed by the systems that are intended to protect them. How do they hold district attorneys accountable?

Less than a third of Rensselaer County residents cast a vote in the election for district attorney in 2014, despite the important role DAs play within the community.. In the past decade, New York State has reformed outdated drug laws and raised the age of criminal responsibility to get teenagers out of adult prisons. Yet, in Rensselaer County, prosecutors continue to resort to overly harsh measures to address our most critical issues.

In Rensselaer County, 68% of all arrests are for misdemeanor charges. The jail incarceration rate is 1.5 times higher than the statewide rate. Approximately 30 percent of people in jail in Rensselaer County are locked up before they get their day in court simply because they cannot afford to pay bail. This doesn’t make Rensselaer County safer, and it isn’t fair.

To be a fierce critic of the system comes sometimes with a certain level of distrust, apathy, or total disengagement with the political process. As a non-partisan organization that fights for due process, equality, and justice, the New York Civil Liberties Union (NYCLU) is often in the position of criticizing the people who oversee our criminal justice system. And our members in Rensselaer County have expressed doubts that any candidate running for district attorney could be a defender of civil liberties.

But, life and liberty are at stake in this election. In the past two years, police officers shot at least two unarmed black men, Edson Thevenin and Dahmeek McDonald, with Thevenin unfortunately dying as a result. The officers responsible were not indicted, leaving many to question whether communities have the power to hold law enforcement accountable. Rensselaer residents will have the ability to ensure justice only when they elect a District Attorney who recognizes that law enforcement is supposed to serve communities.

In 2018, our criminal justice system must rely on proven strategies for keeping communities safe while keeping people out of lockup, saving money for taxpayers, keeping families together, and ensuring that our jails are not full of poor people, people struggling with drug addiction, and other New Yorkers who present no threat to public safety.

While the District Attorney wields immense power in the justice system, so too do Rensselaer County voters. They have the power to ask candidates where they stand on important issues; vote for the people whom they believe will do the best job at keeping our communities safe and fair, and hold them accountable once they are in office. They can use their power to send a clear message that supports a smarter justice system.

The upcoming election for District Attorney matters tremendously. Though not always evident, the criminal justice system affects communities in many different ways. Voters should learn the issues, get involved, demand answers from their candidates, and make sure they have a voice represented in the next District Attorney.

Nicole Triplett is a policy counsel in the NYCLU’s Advocacy department, working primarily on human rights and criminal justice issues. Melanie Trimble is the Chapter Director of the NYCLU’s Capitol Region Chapter.