Local Elections Matter!
Don’t let low turnout decide our future. In this odd-year election, we decide who steers our cities, schools, utilities, and community services. These choices can change your daily life, from sidewalks to public safety, from parks to housing. That means your voice matters more than ever. Vote local. Let your voice be heard.
What is at Stake in an "Odd-Year" Election?
Even though an odd-year (off-cycle) election may not capture national headlines like a presidential or midterm year, the consequences are local, real, and often immediate.
Here are five things at stake:
1. Local Leadership & Daily DecisionsOdd-year elections often decide mayors, city council members, Commissioners, utility boards, and fire or water districts. These leaders make choices that touch everyday life; zoning, public safety, infrastructure, parks, and community services. With fewer voters participating, every vote carries more weight.
2. Budgets & Policy PrioritiesLocal officials set budgets and decide how much to invest in housing, transit, libraries, and neighborhood improvements. They influence land use, environmental protections, and long-term resilience planning; choices that shape our community for decades.
3. Representation & FairnessLow turnout in off-cycle years means older, wealthier voters are overrepresented, while young people, renters, and working families are underrepresented. Electing leaders committed to equity, housing justice, and access to services ensures decision-making reflects the whole community.
4. Accountability & Democratic HealthWhen fewer people vote, special interests and incumbents have outsized influence. Odd-year elections test our commitment to transparency, accountability, and responsive government. Close races often come down to just a handful of votes, making civic participation essential.
5. Building Momentum for the FutureOdd-year races shape not just today’s leadership, but tomorrow’s. Local officeholders become the bench for higher offices, while organizing in these years builds volunteer networks, campaign infrastructure, and movement energy that carry into statewide and national elections.
Here are five things at stake:
1. Local Leadership & Daily DecisionsOdd-year elections often decide mayors, city council members, Commissioners, utility boards, and fire or water districts. These leaders make choices that touch everyday life; zoning, public safety, infrastructure, parks, and community services. With fewer voters participating, every vote carries more weight.
2. Budgets & Policy PrioritiesLocal officials set budgets and decide how much to invest in housing, transit, libraries, and neighborhood improvements. They influence land use, environmental protections, and long-term resilience planning; choices that shape our community for decades.
3. Representation & FairnessLow turnout in off-cycle years means older, wealthier voters are overrepresented, while young people, renters, and working families are underrepresented. Electing leaders committed to equity, housing justice, and access to services ensures decision-making reflects the whole community.
4. Accountability & Democratic HealthWhen fewer people vote, special interests and incumbents have outsized influence. Odd-year elections test our commitment to transparency, accountability, and responsive government. Close races often come down to just a handful of votes, making civic participation essential.
5. Building Momentum for the FutureOdd-year races shape not just today’s leadership, but tomorrow’s. Local officeholders become the bench for higher offices, while organizing in these years builds volunteer networks, campaign infrastructure, and movement energy that carry into statewide and national elections.
Help Support your Local Democratic Party!
Register to vote: Registering to vote is one of the most important ways people can make their voices heard in a democracy.
Click here to register to vote!
Join a committee: is important because it’s one of the most direct ways members can shape the work, direction, and success of an organization like the Thurston County Democrats.
Click here to join a committee!
Click here to register to vote!
- Representation: Elected officials (from city council to president) make decisions that affect your daily life, from schools and roads to healthcare and wages. Registering ensures you have a say in who represents you!
- Access to the Ballot: You can’t vote if you’re not registered. Registering early means you’re ready when election season comes around with no last-minute stress.
- Community Power: Voting is how communities influence policies that shape their future. The more people participate, the stronger the collective voice.
- Protecting Democracy: High voter turnout helps keep elections fair, accountable, and reflective of the people’s will.
- Local Impact: Local elections are often decided by just a handful of votes. Your registration and ballot can directly shape the community you live in.
Join a committee: is important because it’s one of the most direct ways members can shape the work, direction, and success of an organization like the Thurston County Democrats.
Click here to join a committee!
- Impact & Voice: Committees give members a seat at the table where decisions and plans are made. If you want your priorities reflected in the party’s work, committees are where that happens.
- Skill Building: Whether it’s organizing events, doing outreach, managing communications, or handling finances, committees help you develop leadership and teamwork skills.
- Stronger Community: Working closely with others builds relationships and a sense of solidarity, you’re not just “in the party,” you’re part of a team.
- Tangible Results: Committees turn ideas into action. From voter registration drives to fundraising events, they’re where good intentions become real-world impact.
|
Your Voice Matters
|
Join the fun and make a difference!
|
|
|