I am sure you have heard that said many times. Some may call it cliché. I prefer to call it an axiom. Axioms are time-tested rules. They have proven to be correct over time and in multiple circumstances.
In off-year elections, voter turnout is somewhere between 15 and 20 percent. When you look at Mayoral, City Council and School Board elections, the numbers are even worse.
In a Portland State University study of the 2015 Dallas, Texas, mayoral election, only 6.1% of eligible voters voted. This is more the rule than the exception. In the 2019 Missouri municipal elections, we fared a little better with a turnout of 11.8%.
Studies have shown that voters in off-year and municipal elections tend to be older than the average population. In the Portland State study, the median age of voters in the 2015 Dallas, mayoral election was 62. The median age of registered voters in Dallas was 41. The same holds true in most areas across the country. Voting in local elections skips entire generations!
What sense does this make?
Yes, statewide and national elections are important. Local elections may be more so. Decisions made at the Mayoral and City Council level have a direct effect on our communities. We have seen glaring examples in how cities have handled the COVID-19 event. Local school boards set policy that impact the operation of our school system and what our children are taught in class.
The average voter in a municipal election likely does not have children in school. Although they are affected by local government policy, they are moving toward the end of their earning years and have already raised their family. Municipal elections have a much more profound effect on a 20- or 30-year old’s future than someone two generations older.
Next Tuesday, April 6, we have a statewide municipal election. This provides us an opportunity to influence local politics and the direction of our communities. There is a good chance you have recently witnessed government overreach at the local level.
It could have been a masking ordinance. Maybe it was a local restriction of how many relatives were allowed to gather for a holiday celebration. Perhaps you were an unfortunate business owner or employee who were told they were “non-essential.”
It is our duty to inform ourselves of the issues and candidates on the ballot and make an informed choice. The Framers spoke often about duty. In their time, duty meant “a legally binding contractual obligation.” That is quite a higher call than, “Oh, I’ll go vote if I get around to it.”
This is the Missouri Secretary of State’s link to find the candidates and issues on your local ballot next Tuesday: Missouri Secretary of State - Elections Information. Visit this page before Tuesday to get to know your candidates and the issues on your local ballot.
Cast an informed vote on April 6. Let’s put our marker down and make a statement for liberty. After all, it is our duty.
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