By Jimena Somilleda
On Tuesday, November 2, Georgia will be holding its local elections for many different positions, including mayor of Atlanta. Citizens will vote on other official positions including mayors, city council members, sheriffs, school board officials, and many others. While these municipal elections are some of the most important elections for the citizens of Georgia, many are unaware of the direct impact the results of these elections have on our local communities. The results from local elections have important consequences. They determine which local officials will have the power to pass policies that have a direct influence on the day-to-day lives of their constituents. Additionally, local elections serve as a chance to implement necessary reform for the success of a community.
Municipal elections are crucial to the attempts to implement reform and make strides towards a community’s progress. With the mainstream coverage and hype over national elections, local elections often become forgotten about and downplayed. However, it is essential to consider the impact that municipal elections have on communities. Municipal elections elect local officials that have a direct role in making the legislation to tackle issues that many citizens consider problems within their communities (Mathews 2021). Local officials are the ones behind the legislation passed that impacts citizens in their everyday lives. When issues arise, it is up to these local officials to fulfill their duty and implement legislations that resolve these issues. Because of this, it is viral to vote in elections that select local officials to implement local policy that impacts a community on a closer scale.
Voting in local elections is also one of the significant ways in which citizens of a community can make their voices heard. When there are many issues and concerns that need to be addressed, local officials spearhead movements to implement different policies to tackle a community’s problems. Because of this, it is essential to elect officials that have the best intentions and ideas to better the community. Additionally, local officials are more accessible to their constituents. Citizens tend to have an easier time contacting local officials to voice their concerns or bring attention to particular topics (Sherwood 2021). For instance, if a parent has a concern about their child’s education, it is much easier to get in contact with their school district school board official than the U.S. Secretary of Education, and their concerns could be easily resolved. Voting in local elections is crucial to movement in voicing the needs and concerns of a specific community.
Local elections often don’t receive the same media coverage as national elections. Despite this, local elections are even more impactful to communities. It is a civic duty to vote in local elections to elect candidates who will listen to their communities and make the necessary change they wish to see in their community. To find the nearest polling station to make your voice heard in Georgia, visit mvp.sos.ga.gov.
Works Cited
“Georgia Elections, 2021.” Ballotpedia, https://ballotpedia.org/Georgia_elections,_2021.
Kasey Mathews | published Mar. 18th, 2021. “The Importance of Local Elections.” Reporter,
https://reporter.rit.edu/features/importance-local-elections.
Matthew Gross “The Importance of Local Elections.” Harvard Political Review, 24 Nov. 2020,
https://harvardpolitics.com/the-importance-of-local-elections/.
Serenasherwood, and Aug 28 serenasherwood 11:54 pm. “More than Just a Mayor: The Importance of Voting in Local Elections.” SJP, 28 Aug. 2021,
