Kennesaw State students should understand the weight of voting in local elections such as the Georgia state elections on Nov. 8, 2022.
Americans largely show up in large droves for presidential elections; however, this support is not seen for local elections. Local elections are fundamental in that they most influence people’s daily lives.
State and local governments affect the most accessible elements of society, according to CivicInfluencers.org. These elements include parks and recreation, the school board, transportation policies, etc.
“Local elections are the time where we are really deciding on the people who make decisions that truly impact our day-to-day lives,” King County Elections Communications Officer Halei Watkins said. “At the local level, we see folks making decisions about how our tax dollars are spent on schools and our roads and our parks.”
A large reason for the lack of participation is that Americans are not educated on political issues. A Johns Hopkins study revealed that Americans did not know which jurisdictions belonged to which level of government. Around 25% of those surveyed did not know which level of government was in control of law enforcement. Less than 20% surveyed could identify their legislators, and one-third did not know their state governor.
“Most people say they like their state leaders, and a large majority even remember learning about state government in school,” Johns Hopkins University’s political scientist Jennifer Bachner said. “Despite this, most people are not aware of who exactly represents them and the significant decisions made by their state government.”
According to Yale News, young people from the ages of 18-24 are the least likely to participate in state and local elections. Only 24% of this age demographic showed up in the 2021 primary election, which is dramatically lower than other age groups.
It is pivotal for young voters to know just how much their ballot matters in these local elections. Yale News says that local governments have $2 trillion in spending capabilities, so by voting in these elections, voters can help determine where that money is funded.
Writers at The New York Times say that a movement toward “on-cycle” elections will increase voter turnout. On-cycle elections are when local elections maintain the same timing as larger elections, so voters are not required to take as many steps to vote. This concept was tested in Baltimore, and voter participation went from 13% to 60%.
Americans need to educate themselves on the importance of elections, and when these elections are taking place. While the blame can be shifted to educational and media institutions, personal initiative will be a powerful tool in increasing voter turnout.
In Georgia, online voting is accessible, quick and easy. Students must start recognizing the value of voting in local elections to make a difference at every level of the government.
