I know. The red-white-and-blue elephant in the room is hard to ignore. Every four years, America collectively loses its mind over who’s going to sit in the big Oval Office and push buttons (or, let’s be honest, sign off on a few bills and make a lot of speeches). We meme it. We march. We melt down in group chats and claw our way through cable news commentary like raccoons digging through an overflowing trash can labeled “Democracy.”
But here’s the kicker: for most of us, the person making the biggest, most immediate impact on our actual lives isn’t the President. It’s the city council member who decides how your neighborhood gets zoned. It’s the school board that approves (or bans) what your kids are learning. It’s the county judge you didn’t Google because you were too busy rage-tweeting about the national debates.
And yeah, I get it. Local elections aren’t sexy. There are no confetti cannons, no star-studded endorsements, no viral TikToks of someone dramatically removing their glasses and saying, “I believe in America.” There are just precinct maps, bond issues, and people named Harold who still use AOL email addresses.
But local politics? That’s where the real power is hiding.
Trash, Taxes, and Tacos: Where Local Hits Home
Let’s start with the obvious. Who decides when your trash gets picked up? Whether a new Taco Bell goes in next to your house? If your rent skyrockets because of zoning loopholes? It’s not Washington, D.C. It’s someone with a LinkedIn headshot who lives 12 minutes from you and may or may not still use the word “cyberspace.”
Local officials set your property taxes. They allocate funding for emergency services. They determine how your roads get fixed (or don’t). They decide if that charming old theater gets preserved or paved over for a luxury condo complex with a Trader Joe’s and absolutely zero parking.
They’re the ones you can email. The ones you can run into at H-E-B. And frankly, the ones most likely to actually listen—because your vote (and your complaints) mean a hell of a lot more to someone winning an election by 83 ballots than it does to someone being watched by the ghost of Abraham Lincoln.
Voter Apathy Is the Real Villain Here
Now, let’s talk turnout. In presidential elections, voter participation is (relatively) high. But for local elections? It’s often embarrassingly low. Like, “couldn’t fill a high school gym” low.
And that’s exactly how bad decisions happen. Because when only 12% of the city votes, the loudest, angriest, and most organized folks win. That means the people shaping your school district, police oversight board, or library funding might have been elected with fewer votes than it takes to get a latte trend going on Instagram.
It’s not just sad—it’s dangerous. Local policy sets precedent. Bad local governance trickles up, emboldening bad actors at the state and national level. Conversely, good local policies (like inclusive nondiscrimination ordinances or strong tenant protections) can become models for nationwide change.
Okay, So What Can You Actually Do?
Let’s not just point fingers and walk away. Here’s how to become the kind of local hero your community needs (cape optional):
- Know When Your Local Elections Happen: They often sneak in during May, October, or other non-presidential months. Look them up. Set calendar alerts. Make a plan.
- Research Who’s Running: You don’t need to become a C-SPAN archivist. Just spend 15 minutes reading candidate statements or local news recaps. Find out who cares about what you care about.
- Drag Your Friends Along: I once offered a friend tacos if they came with me to vote for the school board. It worked. Tacos > apathy.
- Call Your Local Reps: They’re usually not that hard to reach. Send an email. Show up at a town hall. Ask the uncomfortable questions.
- Run Yourself (Maybe): Tired of the same old nonsense? Put your name on the ballot. Seriously. If you’ve ever said, “I could do this better,” this is your sign to try.
Final Thought? Stop Waiting for Washington
Look, I’m not saying national politics don’t matter. Of course they do. But while we’re all watching the presidential stage like it’s Succession, the real script is being written right here at home.
So vote local. Raise hell at city hall. Pay attention to what’s happening on your block, not just on your feed.
Because change? It starts on your street.