By Molly McNamara, Summer 2023 Power in Place Collaborator
Image from: Vecteezy
For many Americans, local politics is not on the forefront of their minds. What goes on at Capitol Hill seems much more pressing, with the big words and flashing colors of FOX News and CNN covering the issues of Washington, DC. But local politics affects the everyday lives of members of your community. The decisions of Congress are implemented by state and local governments, making your state senator or city council member crucial decision-makers in your life.
Through my photoshoot and interview with City Council Member Elizabeth Orona, I gained some incredible insight on the importance of local politics. She told me about some of the important decisions that have been made in the local city council that affect my community. One of those decisions regarded allowing marijuana dispensaries in Solvang. In California, the use of marijuana is legal on the state level, but local communities can make decisions about its presence. For Elizabeth, marijuana is a big problem that is disruptive to people and their families. She eventually proved to the other members of the council that bringing marijuana to Solvang was the wrong decision, despite their original belief that a dispensary would bring economic benefits.
Elizabeth’s experiences are a great example of the importance of local politics. Her presence on the city council has brought changes to the community that most would never consider. That is why it is important to not only vote in local elections but to also support women running for local office. The members of city council, school board, and many other positions are ones that need as much attention as president or Supreme Court justice.
Unfortunately, local elections do not receive as much attention as they deserve. Research shows that the 2020 presidential elections saw a 66.8 percent voter turnout and 50.3 percent in the 2018 midterm elections. Roughly a quarter of eligible voters participate in municipal elections and only five to ten percent turnout in school board elections. Representation chosen by only ten percent of the community is not representation that is considering the majority of community members. This data is devastating because the local level makes important decisions about important services like housing, police, public schools, and more. It is necessary for more people to participate in these local elections, because their voices need to be heard regarding these important issues.
There are some useful methods that can increase voter turnout in local elections. These include providing more resources about candidates and polling locations. Since many people do not follow local elections, they may not know anything about the candidates. Election timing could also be improved as many cities do not maintain the same voting dates in each election cycle. By having the same voting day in local elections, like how presidential elections are on the first Tuesday of November, more people may be aware of local elections. Increasing opportunities to vote can also help including opening more polling locations and having the polls open longer.
Therefore, it is important to bring more awareness to local politics and local elections. Crucial decisions in your community are made by officials, such as Elizabeth, and it is imperative to participate in them by using your voice and voting. Advocating for better voting policies like voting resources and election timing are necessary to ensure that more people participate in local politics.
References
[1] Brennan, Jan. “Increasing Voter Turnout in Local Elections.” National Civic League. Spring 2020 https://www.nationalcivicleague.org/ncr-article/increasing-voter-turnout-in-local-elections/
[2] Fair Vote. “Resources.” Fair Vote. 2020 https://fairvote.org/resources/voter-turnout/
[3] Hajnal, Zoltan. “Why Does No One Vote in Local Elections?” New York Times. October 22, 2018 https://www.nytimes.com/2018/10/22/opinion/why-does-no-one-vote-in-local-elections.html
[4] Devine, Kelly. “Visualizing Voter Turnout in Local and School Board Elections.” Carnegie Corporation of New York. November 2, 2022 https://www.carnegie.org/our-work/article/visualizing-voter-turnout-local-school-board-elections/
Molly McNamara is a rising Junior at George Washington University. She is double majoring in Political Science and American Studies with a minor in Women’s, Gender, and Sexuality Studies. Molly is involved in the GW campus chapter of the American Foundation for Suicide Prevention and is interested in writing, mental health advocacy, and political engagement. After college she hopes to either enter the political realm or nonprofit work in hopes to create a more equitable society.