Every year, millions of Americans head to the polls or send in mail-in-ballots, rooting for their chosen party or candidate. Whilst election day is typically associated with tense presidential elections, or midterms that can flip an entire state’s affiliation, local elections are often overlooked.
This year, on November 7, 2023, local elections will take place nationwide. Local elections entail exactly as their name reads; they take place to select positions throughout a local government, like city council members or mayors.
Yet, local elections are not given nearly the same amount of media attention as other major national elections are given. This could be for a variety of reasons, but one in particular is that many feel they are not nearly as important as presidential or midterm elections. This is simply not the case. Historically, the voter turnout rate in local elections is quite lower than major national elections. This arguably means that a voter in a local election has more say than a voter in a presidential election (meaning that their vote is more impactful).
Additionally, voting in one’s local elections are still incredibly crucial. The outcomes of these elections have quite a big impact on towns and cities, through the quality of roads, public schools, and other government-funded properties or businesses. Issues regarding one’s cities schoolboard, criminal justice departments, and infrastructure are all voted on. Though these issues may seem small, they can have massive impacts on communities and those who live within them.
While voting itself can feel quite daunting, it doesn’t have to be. In fact, registering to vote can be done online in a matter of minutes. Going to https://www.nass.org/can-I-vote will offer a variety of choices, such as registering to vote, or checking one’s voter registration. http://nass.org also has resources on how to request and send in an absentee, or early voter ballot. For many college students who are unable to return to their hometown to vote, this is a much easier option.
For those who are unsure on who to vote for, Vote411.org offers a feature to input an address, then creates a personalized ballot based on location.
In conclusion, voting is vastly important on the local and national level. Doing your part and showing up to the polls can make a difference in your community and country, no matter how big or small the election may seem.