Local elections don’t make the front pages of national news, but they still have an enormous impact on your daily life. Decisions made by mayors, city councils, school boards, county commissioners, and other local leaders affect everything from zoning laws to road repairs, public safety to policing policies, and how your tax dollars are spent. In fact, local officials often have a greater influence on your day-to-day than federal officials do.

Yet these elections receive significantly less attention from voters, in part because they’re not held on the same cycle as presidential and gubernatorial contests. As a result, voter turnout in local elections is often half of what it is in presidential contests and local races can be decided by just a few hundred or even a single vote.

Educating voters about the importance of their vote and how the local government impacts them is a crucial step in increasing civic participation. Getting the word out about local elections can be done through community events, recreation programs, and government meetings, as well as websites, email notifications, social media posts, cable TV channels, and public news outlets.

Additionally, educating young people on how their votes can be used to shape the future of their communities is one of the most effective ways to increase voter engagement. This is because young people are more likely to be underrepresented in local elections and their low turnout can contribute to decisions that don’t reflect their needs.