The House the People Built

A house, the house, is built from its foundation. In a democracy, that foundation is the people.

On November 3, Americans exercised their power to decide who would represent them, who would answer their questions, and who would help shape their future. From Washington to Indiana to Lake County, the results offered a powerful reminder: Political power is entrusted by voters, and voters can change its direction.

Behind every victory stood people whose names never appeared on a ballot, the volunteer knocking on doors, the worker voting after a long shift, the precinct committeeperson making another call, and the first-time voter discovering the weight of a single decision.

They helped build this house.

Ultimately, it is the people who build the house.

As a precinct committeewoman and former Highland councilwoman, I know how much of democracy happens outside the spotlight. It happens in conversations on doorsteps, in questions at public meetings, and in the persistence of people who refuse to give up on their communities.

Election night reveals the results. The work begins long before it.

Across the country, Democrats won control of the U.S. House and Senate, according to Associated Press reporting. By early Wednesday, the party had flipped at least seven Republican-held Senate seats and more than two dozen House districts. Those gains will change the balance of power when the new Congress takes office in January.

The geographic reach mattered. Reported Democratic Senate pickups extended across Iowa, Kansas, Maine, Ohio, North Carolina, South Carolina and Texas. Together, those results showed that political maps describe past elections; they do not dictate what voters must choose next.

For anyone who has wondered whether participation makes a difference, this election supplied an answer. Seats changed hands because people cast ballots. Government will change because those ballots were counted.

Indiana helped write that story.

Democrats broke the Republican supermajority in the Indiana House, ending a hold that had lasted 14 years. Breaking a supermajority does not mean winning control of the chamber, but it changes the balance within it. Republicans appeared positioned to retain their Senate supermajority, a reminder that significant gains can coexist with limits on a party’s power.

Beau Bayh’s victory for secretary of state also marked Indiana Democrats’ first statewide election win since 2012.

In Indiana’s 5th Congressional District, Democrat J.D. Ford defeated Republican Victoria Spartz, winning a seat Republicans had held since the 1992 election. Here in Northwest Indiana, voters reelected Congressman Frank Mrvan to a fourth term. One victory changed a district’s direction; the other renewed an existing commitment to representation.

In Lake County, history became local, and personal.

Jerry Williams won election as Lake County’s first Black sheriff, a milestone reported by Capital B Gary. The county’s posted unofficial results listed him with 64.75% of the vote.

Other unofficial Democratic results included Darren Washington’s 75.44% in County Council District 2, Dwight Williams’ 75.91% in District 3, Gina Pimentel’s 64.67% for auditor, Mike Brown’s 64.60% for clerk, and John Petalas’ 65.02% for treasurer.

Those percentages represent decisions about public safety, public money, public records and public service. They also represent expectations. Every winning candidate now carries the responsibility of serving residents who supported them and residents who chose someone else.

Williams’ historic election deserves recognition. Representation can expand what a child imagines is possible and what a community believes is within reach. The lasting measure of that milestone will be the service that follows it.

History opens a door. Leadership must make that opening matter.

Across the state line, Illinois voters elected Juliana Stratton to the U.S. Senate. WTTW reported that she will become the sixth Black woman to serve in that chamber. Gov. JB Pritzker also won a third term.

Nationally, the Democratic House victory positioned Hakeem Jeffries to become the first Black speaker of the House. That milestone remains ahead: He must still be nominated and elected by his colleagues when the new Congress convenes in January. The possibility is historic; the formal decision has yet to occur.

These milestones carry meaning beyond the people elected. They speak to who sees a place for themselves in public life, whose experience enters the room, and whose children can imagine standing there next.

But what happens next will determine the meaning of these wins.

Democrats have earned an opportunity, and an obligation. The voters who delivered these victories deserve more than gratitude in a victory speech. They deserve leaders who listen after the applause fades, explain their decisions, and make public service visible in everyday life.

Democratic control of Congress will bring greater authority to investigate the administration, influence spending, and scrutinize presidential appointments. Passing laws will still require navigating disagreements, Senate procedures, and President Donald Trump’s veto power.

An election changes who holds authority; it does not remove the work of governing.

For working families, the test will be practical. Can they afford their bills? Can they obtain care? Are their neighborhoods safe? Do public offices respond when they need help? Are leaders making decisions they can explain and defend?

Celebration should lead to accountability. A winning percentage is a responsibility to deliver.

And even as we recognize those who voted, we must acknowledge how much work remains. Lake County’s November 3, 10:49 p.m., unofficial election summary reported turnout of 39.49% of registered voters. That figure leaves a pressing question for every community leader: How do we bring more people into the process?

We begin by listening. We make reliable information easier to find. We help people understand what local offices do and how public decisions affect their lives. We build relationships that continue between elections.

The same responsibility belongs to voters. Our participation cannot end when the campaign signs come down.

Attend a meeting. Read a budget. Ask a question. Follow a promise. Give credit when leaders serve well, and demand answers when they fall short.

To every election worker, volunteer, organizer and voter who helped make November 3 possible: Your contribution belongs in this story. Democracy depends on people willing to do the steady work that makes public participation possible.

The house the people built must have room for the people’s voices after Election Day.

Its foundation must be trust. Its strength must be accountability. Its purpose must be service.

We helped build this house with our votes. Now we must hold its leaders to their promises, keep its doors open to our neighbors, and remember that every person entrusted with power answers to the people who put them there.

Toya Smith is a writer and children’s book author whose work centers on resilience, imagination, and community well-being. She is the creator of the “Arti the Super Kid” children’s series and the author of “The Sun Didn’t Shine,” a book that explores hope and perseverance through storytelling. Smith’s writing spans both literary and civic spaces, reflecting her commitment to education, youth development, and public safety.

Reporting note: This commentary reflects results and race calls available November 4, 2026. Lake County figures cited here come from the county’s posted November 3, 10:49 p.m. unofficial election summary. Results and percentages may change before certification.

The House the People Built

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