Fall has arrived and we are in the throes of election season. While the newspapers and TV ads focus on the campaigns for president and Sen. Olympia Snowe’s vacant seat, people should not overlook the importance of local and state elections.

In the past, some people may have overlooked the importance of local elections. That time is over. It is more important than ever to make sure representatives are elected who support working people.

This past year, the Legislature was supposed to work to create jobs. Instead, it spent its time eliminating protections for workers. One example was the bill that gutted the Workers’ Compensation Act.

The reason for the changes to the law remains unclear, as workers’ compensation premiums have gone down again this year.

One of the brutal and arbitrary changes made to the workers’ comp law was to cap the number of years an injured worker can receive benefits. That change will have a devastating impact on many workers, especially those who suffer the most serious injuries.

At a time when the people of Maine were in need of real representation, Republican legislators supported changes that benefit insurance companies, rather than workers.

So, when voters head to the polls this year, they should research the candidates. To protect the rights of employees, as a worker, people must vote for someone who is truly willing to protect workers’ rights and not someone who simply rubber stamps Gov. Paul LePage’s agenda.

Karen Bilodeau, Auburn