Local elections are important because they can give voters a voice in the decisions that directly affect their daily lives. This is especially true for marginalized communities that often face barriers to voting at higher levels of government. Over time, consistent participation at the local level can build confidence and push states and federal governments toward greater inclusion.
Despite their importance, local elections consistently receive less attention than national ones. This is largely due to insufficient media coverage, which leads many voters to underestimate the significance of local candidates and issues.
It’s also worth highlighting that elected local councillors can make decisions about local services like bus shelters, play areas and community centres. They can consult on local planning issues and provide grants for community projects. They can even decide how your community responds to emergencies such as floods and security threats.
As well as dispelling the myth that local government doesn’t matter, it’s a great opportunity to teach students how local politics works. You can do this using our handy handout ‘Who Decides?’ – ask your class to work in groups and try to guess the answer to each question.
A growing body of evidence suggests that one of the main reasons for low turnout in local elections is because they are positioned so far apart from other electoral events. This means that the voters who do participate in them are distinctly different from the electorate as a whole. They are more racially exclusive, have a lower proportion of unemployed people and have a greater number of those with high education qualifications. They are also older than non-voters.