Welcome to Election Day 2023. Though the news today is largely about who’ll be which party’s candidate for Election Day 2024, did you know that what and whom you vote for today could be far more important to your daily life than the votes you cast a year from today?
What do you care about?
- The quality of schools for your children, grandchildren, and your property value?
- The quality of roads in your region?
- The speed limit in your neighborhood?
- The resources available for crime and fire prevention in your town?
- What you pay for electricity, water, gas, health insurance, car insurance, property insurance, and property taxes?
- If you live in a state that collects income tax, how your tax dollars are spent?
- The types of subjects that are and are not taught in your schools?
- The types of intoxicating substances that are allowed to be sold?
- What else is legal, illegal, and how the laws are enforced at a city, county, and state level?
- If you live in Virginia, Rhode Island, or Utah, who represents you in the US House of Representatives? You might be voting on a new representative today.
- If you live in Kentucky, Louisiana, or Mississippi, who runs your state? You are electing a Governor today.
- Cities all over America are electing mayors – is yours?
The late Tip O’Neill, Speaker of the House of Representatives from 1977 to 1987, was credited with coining the phrase "All politics is local,” though he probably didn’t originate it. The political decisions made closest to our homes are the ones that most influence our quality of life and levels of freedom. Sure, the national figurehead of each party can be a galvanizing influence, and yes, laws enacted nationally do also affect our lives. But in many ways that count, not nearly as much as we think they do.
Consider this: 154.6 million voters cast ballots on Election Day 2020, according to the US Census Bureau. By contrast, only 107.7 million cast ballots in the 2022 midterms. That’s the nationwide count – some states had record high turnout (above 80% in Georgia, Minnesota, and Oregon, to name a few over-achieving states) and very low turnout (Mississippi, Indiana and West Virginia were all below 65% registered voter turnout.) Those are the presidential and midterm elections, which turn out a far higher percentage than the off-year elections, like this year’s. In places where voter turnout was below 65% in a midterm, turnout dipped to below 20% of registered voters for the 2021 elections. That means a vast majority of voters gave up control of their local government voluntarily. No say. None.
You know I look for the good news, right? Your vote counts more when fewer people show up at the polls. In the Tiny Bites podcast, in my newsletter, blog posts, workshops, books, and keynotes, one of the recurring themes is to control what’s within your control and let the rest go.
Only you control your vote.
And your vote matters even more in local elections than it does in national elections. Look again at the list above – if you care about even one of those topics, make your voice heard. Be one of the vast minority who chooses what happens in your town, county, and state by voting in the off-year elections. Control what you can control. And if you need a little help understanding the difference between what you can and can’t control, the world’s second-shortest podcast can help you with that. If you listen to all three of these episodes, it’ll take you less than 4.5 minutes total. Go for it!
Need a reminder of your scope of control? Here’s a Tiny Bite for that!
Need help feeling better after your candidate or amendment or regulation loses at the polls? Here’s a Tiny Bite for that!
Need even more help dealing with the need to control outcomes? Here’s a Tiny Bite for that!
It’s so easy to sit out elections that feel unimportant. Voting for the person who’ll fill the vacant city council seat doesn’t feel important until the person elected wants to push for regulations you vehemently disagree with. Voting for the school board members doesn’t feel important until your child shocks you with what they learned in school. Voting for the dog catcher doesn’t feel important until the person elected works to pass laws that restrict your right to own and enjoy your dog.
Your vote matters, and it matters far more in odd-year elections. Only you control your vote. Get out there and be a control freak...in a good way!
PS...know someone (maybe you) looking for speakers for an upcoming meeting, retreat, or conference? Let's talk!
