By Jan Brennan The backdrop of the contentious 2020 Presidential election is a valuable opportunity to focus citizens on the importance and impact of their vote in local races and elections. While election turnout fluctuates based on competitiveness and voter interest, there is a persistent pattern of low participation in local elections. This low voter turnout has a profound effect on the daily life of communities,
impacting everything from schools and housing to transportation, police and parks. This article identifies cities and towns that have been successful at activating voters in local elections and shares promising strategies they have implemented. Since pundits predict half of Americans will be unhappy about the outcome of this year’s presidential race regardless of the winner, it is critical that eligible voters appreciate the importance of their vote to their local community. Implementing
strategies that better connect residents with local races and issues can lay the groundwork for a more gratifying election experience and help influence those who typically vote only in major federal or state elections to increase their local election engagement. Voter Turnout and Impact in Local Elections Not only is turnout for local elections low, but it is likely to be less representative of the income, age and ethnicity of the community. Affluent voters have 30-50 percent higher turnout in local elections than low income voters. Those 65+ are seven times more likely to vote in local elections than voters aged 18 to 34. The median age of local election voters is in the 60s, with the average in cities such as Miami, Las Vegas and Fort Worth as high as 66-68 years old. Whites vote at rates 20 percent higher in local elections than non-white voters.2 The overall impact is that local elected officials and policy are disproportionately influenced by older affluent white voters, undermining our representative democracy and the effectiveness of local governments. Recent research found that less representative elections contribute to poorer outcomes for minorities, including uneven prioritization of public spending.”3 Why Is Turnout Low in Local Elections? Voters in local races and elections face the same structural and perceptual challenges that all voters face. Those barriers include lack of information on voting laws, not knowing where or how to register or vote, not having approved voter identification or needing translation or other assistance to vote. Another barrier is difficulty getting to the polls, whether because of distant and inconvenient polling locations, conflicts with work hours and/or lack of transportation. Perceptual barriers include political cynicism, for instance, the belief that “My vote doesn’t matter.” Obviously, when people believe their vote won’t make a difference, they are unlikely to cast a ballot. Research on barriers specific to local elections suggests that lower turnout is frequently a result of a lack of awareness of the candidates and issues and a lack of understanding of the functions of local elected officials and their impacts on daily life. Most cities set their election dates in odd-numbered off-cycle years, with the idea that voters would be able to focus more effectively on municipal level issues without the distraction of major state and federal elections. Election timing is the number one predictor of voter turnout. Voters are much more likely to turn out for consolidated, even-year elections where they are motivated by the highly visible federal and state contests but also continue to vote in down-ballot local races. When Baltimore shifted to on-cycle local elections in 2016, voter turnout soared from just 13 percent to 60 percent, and research shows that participation in on-cycle local elections is at least double that of off-cycle local elections. Increasing Local Voting Sadly, there is no silver bullet that will quickly and dramatically increase participation in local elections, but a mix of strategies and an incremental approach that builds participation and representativeness over time may be an effective approach. Our understanding of what motivates different groups to vote, “suggests that—depending on the audience—voter mobilization efforts should highlight one of three key factors influencing voting behavior: impact, convenience, or community”.4Here are some effective strategies to consider based on these key turnout influences:
With so much at stake, we need to do more to convince voters of the importance and impact of voting in local elections and races. Increasing local voter turnout will also make these elections more representative and inclusive of diverse residents and make local government more responsive to their needs. The time to plan and implement strategies to increase voter engagement in local elections is now. Take advantage of citizen interest in the upcoming federal and state elections to ensure that they also appreciate the role of local elected officials and the ways in which local decisions impact the everyday lives of residents. Ultimately, the goal is to make engagement in local elections the norm and embedded in the culture of the community. Jan Brennan is a Senior Fellow of the National Civic League and Mountain West Director for the nonpartisan Campus Election Engagement Project. Jan’s passion is to promote civic learning and engagement, from the classroom to creative public spaces and the ballot box, applying her experience with the Denver Office of Cultural Affairs and Education Commission of the States’ National Center for Learning and Civic Engagement. References 1 Hajnal, Z.L. (October 22,2018). Why Does No One Vote in Local Elections? New York Times. Retrieved from https://www.nytimes.com/2018/10/22/opinion/why-does-no-one-vote-in-local-elections.html 2 Born, K. (April 25, 2016). Increasing Voter Turnout: What, If Anything, Can Be Done? Stanford Social Innovation Review. Retrieved from https://ssir.org/articles/entry/increasing_voter_turnout_what_if_anything_can_be_done; Maciag, M. (January, 2017). Millennials let their grandparents decide local elections. Governing. Retrieved from https://www.governing.com/topics/elections/gov-voter-turnout-generations-millennials.html. 3 Maciag, M. (October 2014). Voter Turnout Plummeting in Local Elections. Governing. Retrieved from https://www.governing.com/topics/politics/gov-voter-turnout-municipal-elections.html 4 Ibid ii. 5 Ibid v. More from the issueThe mission of the National Civic League is to advance civic engagement to create equitable, thriving communities.Which of the following statements tend to explain why turnout is higher in competitive elections quizlet?Which of the following tend to explain why turnout is higher in competitive elections? Voters know about the candidates in competitive elections. voters are more interested in competitive elections. Why do younger people vote less often than older people?
Why is voter turnout higher in presidential elections quizlet?Voter turnout is higher in presidential elections than in mid-term elections because people feel that presidential elections are more important because the president is the most visible political figure in the US.
Which type of elections usually have the highest voter turnout?Voter turnout in United States presidential elections has historically been higher than the turnout for midterm elections.
What factors influence voter turnout in elections?The most important socioeconomic factor affecting voter turnout is education. The more educated a person is, the more likely they are to vote, even controlling for other factors that are closely associated with education level, such as income and class.
|