Local elections are happening now, and while they may not get the same level of media coverage as a presidential candidate touring the country or even your own city, they’re just as important. These elections determine who runs critical services that affect millions of people every day – things like schools, leisure centres and rubbish collection. In many cases, races are decided by a few hundred or even a handful of votes. Voters should make a point of engaging in these elections to ensure their voice is heard.
Voters seek leaders they can trust and representatives that are responsive to their needs. This is why engagement – through community events, forums and volunteer initiatives – is crucial for candidates to demonstrate their dedication to the community and build a unique rapport with voters, ultimately garnering support at the polls.
While voter apathy and lack of civics education are major factors in low turnout, we can take steps to change this. One way is to bring local elections on-cycle with state and federal elections, held in November of every even-numbered year – a simple reform that is cost effective and would increase participation by a significant margin.
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