Every year is an election year. Even if they are not on the daily news, in the local paper, or on your Instagram feed, local elections happen annually in the United States. The officials elected and the decisions they make affect your daily life as much, if not more, than those in the federal government. From road repairs, schools, and urban planning to immigration and policing, local government is a constant presence in every part of American life.      

Yet many local races are decided with extremely low turnout and little competition. In New York City's 2023 city council elections, turnout was a miniscule 7.2% in the primary election and 12.8% in the general election, and 87.5% of races were decided in the first round. These elections were to elect local lawmakers for a city of almost 8.5 million people and a police force of 36,000 officers and 19,000 civilian employees.  

To make matters worse, many local elections go completely uncontested. In 2024, out of 76,902 elections in 50 states, the District of Columbia, and five territories covered by Ballotpedia, 53,485 (almost 70%) were uncontested. 

Many states also do not have fair redistricting requirements for district-based local governments, or elect officials via at-large elections, which often prevent full representation of people of color in communities by diluting their voting power.  

Voters must participate in local races and fight for new laws protecting fair local government elections. 

Local Government Affects Every Part of Life 

For this blog, local government means city councils, school boards, county commissions, local judges, and similar governing bodies and positions elected by district or all voters. Depending on the state and local jurisdiction, various elected offices are available for citizens wishing to run for public office. 

Some states, like Colorado, elect county coroners, who oversee investigations into deaths and autopsies. Voters in other states elect officials who oversee water infrastructure, soil conservation, public utilities, and other vital services. For example, voters in Iowa, South Carolina, and Florida elect officials who oversee soil and water conservation districts. Collectively, these bodies contain an immense level of responsibility. Some form of local government decides whether your city can build more housing, books stay on school shelves, or if local governments assist ICE. 

Given the scope of these powers, one of the great deficiencies in American democracy is the lack of protection of free and fair local government elections in many states. Local governments in states from California to Texas have suffered from illegal gerrymandering, which robs voters of their right to fair representation and honest government, along with other forms of voter suppression. 

How Voters Can Fight Back 

Fortunately, voters have begun to fight back with state voting rights acts.

Designed to parallel the federal Voting Rights Act of 1965, these new laws create essential protections to ensure fair representation for voters of color, prevent gerrymandering, and ensure people can have free and fair elections in local government. Just recently, New York, Connecticut, Colorado, Washington, and Minnesota have all enacted state voting rights acts. Other state voting rights acts are pending, like in Maryland, or came close to passage, as in Michigan. California and Colorado have also passed legislation to require fair redistricting in local governments. 

Several of these new laws have already had a clear effect on local governments and their structures. For example, Nassau County, NY, settled a lawsuit brought under the New York State Voting Rights Act, redrawing the districts to allow voters of color to elect candidates of their choice in six of the 19 county council districts instead of the previous four.  

The League of Women Voters has long supported fair elections in local government, both in legislatures and in the courtroom. Leagues have brought cases in places like San Luis Obispo, California,  Weld County, Colorado, and Cobb County, Georgia, to ensure voters were fairly represented in their local governments. They’ve also advocated in legislatures nationwide to pass new laws protecting fair local elections. 

But on top of all election protections, our democracy relies on voters casting their ballots. Those who sit in the halls of local government control or affect every facet of daily life. Unresponsive local government, barricaded by gerrymandering or vote dilution, is a government that eventually fails to fulfill its duty to the people. Voting in local elections and passing state voting rights acts and other legislation to protect local government is vital to ensure Americans have a representative local government that responds to their needs.  

How to Make Your Voice Heard in Local Government 

Make your voice heard! 

• To learn more about local elections, follow our award-winning website, VOTE411, for information on tens of thousands of local elections.
• Learn more about local government positions like school board, park board, mayor, and city council.
• Urge your state legislators to support or introduce state voting rights acts.
• Find your local League so you can help them advocate for fair elections at all levels.
• And most importantly of all, vote!