I can’t remember a time when so many people have filed to run for local office.
It’s encouraging to see people getting involved at the local level. I’ve been begging people for years to pay attention to what’s going on in town and even to run for office. I ran for office because I couldn’t convince anyone else to. Now we have a glut of candidates.
With so many candidates, it’s important to pay attention to policies and people. It can feel daunting, but I suggest taking an hour a week from now until you vote to learn what you can about the candidates for mayor and city council. You don’t need to immerse yourself in politics, but you can spend a little time checking into the issues and really seeing who is likely to most closely represent you.
And if you’re a candidate, it would be great if you could share your policies and make yourself accessible to the voters. Too often, candidates just put their name down, but don’t offer information on a social media platform or a website. Or they avoid holding meetings. Candidates should be more than a name on a ballot.
Our government requires engagement and education to be effective. Nonpartisan local elections give you the chance to really think about who aligns with your values because you’re less likely to make a decision solely on a letter behind a name. And that’s important. We’re abdicating our duty as citizens in a representative republic (which is a type of democracy) when we don’t do the bare minimum to learn about candidates and issues.
Local politics is where you have the best chance to have your voice heard. In Idaho Falls, you can run into elected officials at the store, restaurants, your kid’s school or volunteering at a local nonprofit.
Our city council meetings are streamed as well as being open to the public in person. And, while we could sometimes use a little more communication from our city officials, it’s also up to us as citizens to take some initiative.
With all this interest from people running, it’s time for us as an electorate to pay attention and engage. You have a chance to make your voice heard and it’s an opportunity to influence policy at a level that affects you every day.
Don’t sit this one out. Learn what you can. Check your voter registration. Make a plan to vote — including voting early.
Once we get past this election, stay engaged. Learn what our elected officials are doing. And hold them accountable.
Miranda Marquit, Master of Business Administration, is a nationally recognized financial wellness expert, writer, speaker and podcaster. She is the vice chair of the Bonneville County Democratic Central Committee.