The Biggest Threat That Local Candidates Face

What’s the most dangerous threat facing every local candidate in the country next year?

It’s not fundraising, though that is always a challenge. It’s not social media platforms. It’ not misinformation. Nor will it be the number of yard signs you place or mailers you send.

No, the biggest threat to political candidates is an ‘off-year’ or ‘off-season’ election.

According to FairVote, voter turnout in the United States is about 60% in presidential elections and 40% in midterm election years.

Off-year turnout is even lower.

A study found that fewer than 15% of eligible voters cast a ballot for mayor in 10 of America’s 30 largest cities.  Across the U.S., just 15 to 27 percent of eligible voters bother to vote in their local election.

Small town and villages often have even lower turnout in spring and local primary elections.

Why the poor turnout?

It’s likely a combination of issues, including the voting process, not knowing where or how to register to vote, a lack of media coverage on local candidates and issues, or it can be that many people don’t realize how local government affects their lives.

In the U.S., we have many layers of city and county government. Voters are asked to fill a variety of positions that have a direct impact on their daily lives. These local positions include:

• Executive offices like mayor and county executive make decisions that affect large groups of people.
• Legislative offices, such as the city council and county commissioners, make local laws and ordinances.
• Positions within the justice system, including judges, district attorneys, and sheriffs, greatly influence the dispensation of the law.
• County and city positions have a direct impact on everything from government services to how local elections are run.
• School board members that influence local education budgets, curriculum and policies.
• Voters also determine the outcome of community issues through local ballot measures and referendums.

Your goal this cycle should be to let people know exactly why their vote matters, and why voting for you will make a difference to them.

Every year is an election year.

Your campaign will need to work harder to remind voters of that fact.

Apathy and low voter turnout are the greatest threats to your candidacy.

Getting voters to show up will make the difference between winning and losing.

If you are not working to solve that problem now, then you are getting off on the wrong foot.

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