Researchers at Portland State University analyzed 23 million voting records to understand who voted in the most recent local elections in 50 U.S. cities. Here’s what they discovered:
local
election
turnout
matters
“One person, one vote” is a core principle of American democracy for good reason.
When too few people elect local leaders, a small fraction of residents can have outsize influence in decisions about critical issues like schools, parks, housing, libraries, police and transportation.
There are more than half a million local elected officials in the U.S., and their decisions affect all of our lives. If more Americans participate in local elections—and local elections are set up to encourage broad participation—local officials will be held accountable to everyone they represent.