Each time there is a failure in the public sector, individual Texans are urged to be better. Backlogs in the Medicaid eligibility system? Get your application in perfect order and stay on top of it so you don’t contribute to delays. Check your voter registration obsessively and be prepared to fight for your right to vote. Don’t get pregnant if you don’t want to die from a complication of pregnancy. Don’t make a mis-step if you are in the process of becoming a citizen—including being the victim of mistaken identity.

But it is not the job of individuals to make up for the government’s deficiencies. It’s the job of elected leaders to make sure public systems are working, to find solutions when they are not, and to be candid with the voters when there’s no solution available. And it’s the responsibility of voters to make sure we have leaders who can do their jobs.

As candidates court your vote over the next month, consider asking them: If they are so excited for you to vote in this election, can they assure you they have a plan for funding our elections in the future without jeopardizing our health and safety?