Your local elected officials make decisions that impact the immediate environment you and your neighbors live in, from zoning laws to school curricula. However, they often do so with little public oversight due to low voter turnout and the continued prevalence of “news deserts,” where few if any local media outlets dedicate substantial resources to reporting on local politics. Voting locally is one way to ensure that these leaders, as well as judicial and administrative office-holders, better reflect your values.
The local elections you vote in determine how your community functions, from planning for emergencies like fires and floods to deciding where public funds are spent on projects like parks or libraries. Local elected officials, such as city councillors and mayors, play a vital role in shaping your local economy and ensuring that public services are provided to all.
Voting in local elections is one of the most effective ways for historically underrepresented communities to enact change and gain political power. But, as in national elections, voters in local elections are less racially diverse than the overall electorate and tend to be older than non-voters.
Essential voting reforms have increased the openness and equity of local election contests, but not significantly increased turnout rates. A major reason for this is that local elections are still held in odd-numbered years, rather than aligning with gubernatorial or presidential races in even-numbered years. Changing this could double municipal election turnout and help build confidence in the electoral process.