Your Vote Counts

It’s election day here in Virginia, and judging from the results of my Google search of “voting november 8 2011,” local elections are being held across the country today.

Local elections are notorious for low voter turnout, but that’s no excuse to stay away from the polls. Really, if fewer people vote, doesn’t that mean that your vote will count more? That your vote really could make a difference?

I hate the robo-calls that politicians make year-round, but I actually enjoy the live phone calls I’ve gotten from campaign volunteers this week. Even if I don’t support their candidates, I appreciate their efforts to make our democratic process work. Last night, one caller even asked if I needed a ride to my polling place! (I didn’t tell her that I ran there last year!)

I will admit that, even as an attorney, it’s hard to get excited about chosing who will be the Clerk of the local court for the next eight years, but when there are people around the world literally risking their lives for the right to vote, I am reminded of what a privilege it really is.  As I’ve gotten older, I’ve also realized the impact that my local government has on my day-to-day life. As much as I care about who our President is and what direction Congress is taking us, I’m more likely to be directly affected by the people chosing which telecom company to service my neighborhood, what recycling program to implement, and, yes, whether I can pay that parking ticket on-line.

Do you vote in local elections?

Do you pay attention to local politics?