CHAPEL HILL, N.C. – A day after the elections, the North Carolina State Board of Elections announced that municipal election turnout was low, mirroring the 2021 municipal elections that had a turnout rate of less than 20% of voters.
“There are many possible reasons; one category of explanations is that people don’t know or don’t care about the elections,” said Sahn Alexander, a UNC Political Science Professor. “They might not be aware that they’re happening, and local elections in particular have low visibility. Additionally, people might feel like there’s not much at stake.”
However, it turns out there is more at stake in municipal elections than voters might think, according to Professor Alexander. These elections have the power to affect important aspects of the community.
“I’ve always thought municipal elections, local elections have the potential to have the most direct impact on our day-to-day lives—how the streets are maintained, where local resources are allocated,” said Jamie Cox, a chairman on the Orange County Board of Elections. “That has a significant impact on anybody living within the area, town, or city holding elections.”
Both UNC Young Democrats and Turning Point USA, a conservative organization, made efforts to encourage their fellow students to vote by explaining the important issues reflected on the ballot.
“We are talking about the fundamental issues that affect people the most: transportation, housing affordability,” said TJ White, President of UNC Young Democrats. “These are all municipal issues. Municipal elections are certainly important. For students at UNC, it’s extremely important because it ensures that the campus is heard and involved in these local matters.”
“It’s very easy to talk about issues on a national scale, whether that be immigration or foreign policy—things that Congress and the President control,” said Preston Hill, a member of Turning Point USA. “But when it comes to your everyday life, things that personally affect you, I can’t think of a better way to make a change and voice your opinion on what should happen than by voting in municipal elections.”
The polls may now be closed, but the impact of local elections is only just starting to reveal itself.