Campaign Email: info@shannondicely.com
Campaign Website: www.shannondicely.com
Campaign Social Media: Facebook, Instagram
Summary of Candidate Professional/Civic Background:
I currently work at Lone Star College in the Center for Civic Engagement planning programs that get young voters interested and involved in the election process. In addition, I have worked locally on campaigns for several election cycles now. In December, I graduated with my master’s in political science from Sam Houston State University—a 20-year gap since completing my undergrad. I spent that time studying how our system works with a focus on voting and voting rights. At the same time, I remained very active in my community with volunteer work with Girls Scouts, Moms Demand Action, TDW-GC, and Meals on Wheels. Past volunteer work included being a founding member of Young Dems of Galveston County and seven years on my neighborhoods POA board.
Why would you be an effective leader in this role?
I believe my deep roots in the community give me a good understanding of the needs in this district. Having taken the Oath of the Politician’s Creed this month, I have publicly expressed my values both in running this campaign as well as how I would act as State Senator—with honesty, transparency, integrity, and accountability. I plan to always properly represent the constituents in SD-11 by putting their needs above all else and protecting the vulnerable in our community. As I have sought endorsements from current community leaders and legislators, I have begun creating networks of mentors that would help usher me into the role after the election. I know that my abilities to effectively communicate and make personal connections all while caring deeply for this community would make me an effective leader in this role.
What are three platform points that are important to you?
As I have knocked doors, I found that the issues that voters are most concerned about are affordability, public education, and healthcare. As a mom and a breast cancer survivor, these priorities are also my lived experience. Families are being priced out of their homes all while having to choose between buying groceries or gas. We need to tackle this from both ends—finally increase the minimum wage after over 15 years and regulating insurance so that people and business owners stop being priced out of their properties. Our public education system has been attacked strategically for decades. It is time we fulfill the promise of our state constitution and adequately fund our schools. I will fight to raise the per student allotment and to give teachers the significant pay raise and benefits they deserve. I am and will always be committed to listening to educators to create and pass legislation that helps them in tangible ways. Public education is the great equalizer and all Texans deserve a quality education regardless of background or circumstance as promised. Texas leads the nation in people without health insurance and has a higher than national average maternal and infant mortality rate. With some of the nation’s top-ranked hospitals within and near the district, Texas should be leading the nation in healthcare. I will fight to expand access to health insurance at the state level including Medicaid expansion.