By: Yasmine Ganemtore, Communications Intern
True civic engagement begins with recognizing the crucial role local and statewide races have on shaping the lives of us as citizens. These elections determine the leadership and policies that govern our communities, schools, and workplaces. Understanding their significance impact is essential for making informed decisions and participating in the democratic process.
Local elections determine the leaders who make decisions about our communities, including critical issues such as education, public safety, and infrastructure. According to Campus Vote Project Democracy Fellow Manager Lauren Schueler, “Local government is where it’s at. It directly impacts people’s daily lives.” Local elections, which cover city, county, and school district positions, dictate the services that affect our day-to-day experiences. This is where policies that shape our communities are born and implemented.
Campus Vote Project Wisconsin State Coordinator Kristin Hansen emphasized the critical nature of civic engagement, particularly given her state’s unique electoral landscape. She explained, “In Wisconsin, we have a history of strong grassroots movements that have shaped our political climate, but there’s still a lot of work to do in ensuring local races receive the attention they deserve.”
Kristin pointed out that local elections can significantly influence state policies, especially in areas such as education and healthcare. With many municipal elections occurring on different schedules, she has continuously advocated for voter education initiatives to illuminate local candidates and issues. “Voter turnout tends to spike during major elections, but we need to keep that momentum going for our local elections, which directly influence our communities,” she asserted.
Lauren’s experience as a city council member in Norman, Oklahoma, for three years and two months offers a firsthand perspective on the challenges local officials, who often balance their roles with full-time jobs while tackling pressing issues like homelessness and infrastructure development, face. She explained the diverse responsibilities of local leaders that often go unnoticed by the public. “We were also trustees of our enterprise funds, which are the local utilities that we were running,” she said. This complexity highlights the importance of informed voting to ensure that capable and dedicated individuals are elected to these positions.
Despite their significant impact on daily life, local elections consistently receive less attention than national ones, partially due to what Lauren identified as an “information deficit.” With diminishing local media coverage, citizens struggle to stay informed about candidates and issues that directly affect their communities. Lauren believes this lack of accessible information leads many to underestimate the importance of local elections, resulting in decreased voter engagement.
She also emphasized the critical need for dedicated local officials who prioritize genuine community service rather than viewing these positions primarily as stepping stones to higher office. This commitment to local governance is essential for addressing the complex issues facing communities.
Lauren’s approach to fostering civic engagement as a city council member centered on creating meaningful connections with community members. She emphasized the importance of accessibility as an elected official and regularly attended community meetings to understand constituents’ concerns firsthand. One of her key strategies involved connecting residents with boards and commissions that aligned with their interests and expertise. This process, where the mayor recommends candidates to the council for approval, creates pathways for community involvement that Lauren believes are essential for developing a more engaged and informed electorate.
She recognizes that no single council member possessed all the necessary knowledge for informed decision-making, making these community connections invaluable. From her experience in office, Lauren observed that personal testimonies during council meetings have far greater impact than form emails, as they bring authentic perspectives that can sway opinions and influence decisions. She stresses that every voice matters in shaping local policies, and that engaged community members can make significant differences in local governance.
Shifting our focus to statewide races, it’s important to understand that key officials like governors, lieutenant governors, attorney generals, and state legislators wield considerable power, impacting both statewide and local policies. A governor, the highest office in any given state, holds significant influence by signing or vetoing bills, proposing line edits to legislation, and issuing executive orders. The Lieutenant Governor presides over the Senate, the Attorney General provides legal guidance and defends the state, and the state legislature writes and passes state laws.
In Virginia, the state legislature, known as the General Assembly, is composed of the Senate and the House of Delegates. The General Assembly meets for a relatively short time frame (60 days in even-numbered years and for 30 days in odd-numbered years), making it even more imperative for citizens to pay attention and become involved in advocating for or against quick moving legislation.
Virginia’s state government has taken major steps to increase voter registration and participation, especially for first-time voters, through initiatives like pre-registration for 16 and 17-year-olds, online registration, and early voting, and accepts college IDs as valid voter identification. While recent elections have shown concerning trends in voter turnout, particularly in off-year elections, measures like provisional ballots and same day registration, which has seen an uptick in use, especially among college students, aim to boost accessibility.
The role of state supreme courts also cannot be overlooked, as they are instrumental in interpreting laws that shape state policies. These courts often address pressing social issues like civil rights, education, and public health, but their selection varies—26 states and Washington, D.C. appoint justices, while 24 hold elections. These courts have issued landmark rulings, such as League of Women Voters v. Commonwealth, where Pennsylvania’s elected Supreme Court struck down partisan gerrymandering is unconstitutional; or McCleary v. Washington, where the state supreme court mandated adequate funding for public education
Given these state-level impacts, it is important to distinguish between state supreme courts and the U.S. Supreme Court. The U.S. Supreme Court interprets federal laws and ensures both federal and state laws comply with the U.S. Constitution. State supreme courts, meanwhile, serve as the highest courts within their states, interpreting state laws and ensuring they align with their respective state constitutions. If you live in a state where you’re able to vote for your Supreme Court justices, make sure you know when elections are happening and who will be on the ballot, because the decisions of your state supreme court and other state and local courts can directly affect local policies and regulations that govern your everyday life.
Staying informed about these elections is critical. Not every state conducts Supreme Court elections; some utilize an appointment process similar to that of the federal level. However, Wisconsin for instance is distinct in allowing its citizens to choose their justices directly. The upcoming election on April 1st is particularly important, and could determine the balance of the court. Voters can turn to our friends at Guides.Vote for an unbiased overview of the candidates’ positions, relevant rulings, experience, and endorsements. For more information on voting in Wisconsin and to spread the word about this election, visit the FEC Wisconsin State Voting Guide.
At Campus Vote Project (CVP), we recognize the unique opportunity presented by these elections, particularly for young voters. We are committed to mobilizing students to ensure their voices are heard. We facilitate voter registration drives, provide information on the voting process, and offer resources to help students navigate local voting laws.
In conclusion, local and statewide elections play a significant role in our communities, yet they often don’t get the attention they deserve. Every voter has the opportunity to influence their environment through informed choices and civic participation. As Lauren pointed out, “Every voice matters and can make a difference in shaping local policies.” Many of us have state and local elections to vote in this year. Let’s take our civic responsibilities seriously and make sure our voices are heard.
