“Democracy is not a spectator sport.” — Lotte Scharfman
My latest op-ed appears in this morning’s Virginian-Pilot. It galls me that so much time and effort, not to mention money, goes into the top of the ticket races, where our votes really don’t matter, while the local races get almost no attention. In the big scheme of things, when you are casting your vote for a member of Congress, you are helping to choose .2 percent of the representation in Congress – one of 435 members. One representative – unless they have been in Congress a very, very long time – simply cannot make the difference alone (and even then that is suspect). They have to convince 217 other members to support their efforts – none of which we get to vote for.
Is it any wonder, then, decisions get made which are not representative of what the voters want? Is it any wonder, then, that Congressional approval is so low?
It is why I focus on the local. At the local level, one person can make a difference. And we can help them.
Go to the State Board of Elections website, find the local candidates in your area, find out what they are about and choose which ones you want to support. If you have some cash, donate a few bucks. No amount is too large or too small. If you have some time, go and help them distribute literature, knock on doors, and make some phone calls.
It simply isn’t enough to show up on Election Day.
While you are visiting the SBE website, check out the three constitutional amendments that will be on the ballot.
VIVIAN J. PAIGE | All Politics is Local 
Vivian, this was a good piece. It is important that we try to bring back political activism at the local level. When I go to City Council meetings there is little participation from the general population. Citizens only tend to participate locally if they have a severe grievance or if it is a business seeking a change to zoning laws.
Good idea. Because if voters “think national,” Dems are toast.
The majority of property and contract rights violations happen at the local and state government level. Some examples are through the loss of property rights in eminent domain cases and because of regulations on small business that prevent the less fortunate to participate in an open and free market. The federal government is dangerous to the rights of privacy and the debasing of the currency and the fruits of labor. Local, state, and federal governments make decisions against the citizenry on a regular basis. It’s important to spend an equal amount of energy and time to protect your natural rights from each level.
You can generally ignore JY’s comments. He rarely has anything of value to add to a conversation.
There aren’t many local races this November. Most state and local elections seem to be in the odd years.
Really? I’m guessing you didn’t read the article nor look at the state’s website. Because on the Southside of Hampton Roads, we’ve got races in Norfolk, Portsmouth, Virginia Beach and Suffolk.
Plus those 3 constitutional amendments.
I did indeed go to the State website. But I’m in Fairfax. Except for special elections, the city elections are in the Spring, and the state and local elections are in off years.
Got it. It’s all about your local elections.
No. I used the qualifiers “not many” and “most.”
Is it not the case that MOST state and local elections are in the odd years, and that MOST cities and towns hold their elections in the Spring? Is it not the case that, relative to the odd-year and Spring elections, there are NOT MANY local elections this November?
A couple of things. First, the law allowing November elections is relatively new – 2006. So Virginia Beach and Suffolk jumped on the bandwagon almost immediately. Those are two pretty large localities in Hampton Roads, which is where my op-ed appeared and the audience to which it was directed.
Second, the change in the special election law this past legislative session is why local elections in Norfolk & Portsmouth are on the ballot. Again, my op-ed was directed to Hampton Roads.
Third, constitutional amendment referendums will almost always appear on an even-year ballot. That’s because of the nature of getting them on the ballot: they have to pass two sessions of the GA with a House election in between. Yes, state elections are in odd years; thus, the referendums will be an even year event.
Finally, this article isn’t about state elections. It’s about local elections. And while many local elections are held in the spring, almost all of the local elections in Hampton Roads occur in even years, primarily because they don’t want them in the same year as the state elections. Having not looked at all of the localities, my guess is that most of them are in even years for that same reason.
I did look at all the elections on the State website. Most are for congresscritters.
I had no idea that were three constitutional amendments on the upcoming ballot, and I consider myself politically astute.