It’s 2020, an election year marked by the fierce contest between Donald J. Trump and Joe Biden, with campaign ads flooding our screens. This election set a record, with 158.4 million ballots cast across the United States. Astonishingly, a staggering 90% of Utahns who were registered to vote participated in the presidential election that year. However, on the flip side, only 33% of Utah County residents who were registered to vote participated in the municipal elections one year later, where local government wields considerable influence over how local laws are perceived.
This disparity in voter turnout highlights the differing significance that Utahns attach to presidential versus municipal elections.
The trend of state election audits reveals that not only Utah, but many other states also exhibit a preference for congressional and presidential races over municipal ones.
I must admit that I, too, have been guilty of placing greater emphasis on congressional and presidential elections. However, it was during my internship at the Utah State Legislature that my perspective underwent a transformation. I came to realize that my day-to-day life was more profoundly impacted by state-level decisions than what cable news had led me to believe. I witnessed the issues that found their way to my legislator in the form of phone calls, emails and handwritten letters.
These issues were intrinsically tied to state matters, such as education, child welfare and water conservation. In 2023, one of the most pressing concerns among Utahns was House Bill 215, which pertained to school choice and the allocation of tax funds to support a child’s education. This issue, along with discussions about changing the state flag, were focal points in state-sponsored legislation managed by our elected state officials.
Upon returning home and sharing my experiences with friends and family, I noticed their puzzled expressions. Many of them were unaware of Utah’s forthcoming flag change, and their understanding of the state’s legislative activity was minimal, shaped predominantly by what cable news chose to broadcast. While a few articles on local news networks like KSL touched on the major bills under debate in committees, they did not receive the attention they deserved.
Active participation in mayoral and city council elections is of utmost importance. The city you reside in, the streets you travel on and the allocation of your tax dollars are directly influenced by city politics. A significant portion of tax revenue, including sales tax and property tax, is channeled into city governance. It’s imperative to engage in city politics because decisions made at this level dictate city planning, budget allocation and the types of businesses that establish themselves in your community, from restaurants to retailers and warehouses.
The beauty of municipal elections lies in the accessibility of these elected officials. They are individuals who live within your community, engage in daily life and are just a phone call away. In contrast, engaging with the President of the United States on local matters is a near-impossibility. The issues we care about the most find their solutions within our communities, and we can influence these solutions by electing officials through municipal elections.
Presidential elections place one individual in power to represent the entire U.S., and they are captivating to watch. FOX news viewership jumped from 1.9 million in 2019 to more than 3 million in 2020. CNN and MSNBC also saw spikes in viewership. Recent presidential elections have become increasingly entertaining, evoking heightened emotions and driving more people to participate.
Active involvement in elections, particularly at the local level in which researching and engaging with candidates is vital, will produce well-informed voters. At the local level, margins are smaller, and your vote carries more weight. With no Electoral College to dilute its impact, whether through ranked-choice voting or “First Past the Post,” your vote holds significant sway even in local elections.
Participating in municipal elections is crucial because it directly influences your daily life more than decisions made at the federal level. Those who govern your city, county and state are individuals much like you and me. Every time you vote, you have the power to effect change and hold your legislators or council members accountable for issues affecting your community.
Moving forward it is in your control to show up to the polls for the bigger names and the smaller names.
(Matilda Nelson) Kylie Tingey
Kylie Tingey is a student at Utah Tech University working for the Institute of Politics. She formerly interned for the Utah State Legislature.
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