Who you elect at a local level has a lot more impact on your daily life than who you

vote into the presidency. Yet, the public often gives all of their attention to the
presidential election.
People love to complain about how local government is run, but so few registered
voters vote in local elections that most people have no right to complain.
According to a study called Voter Turnout by the University of Utah, only 20
percent of eligible voters cast a ballot during local elections in 2015, and that
number continues to steadily decline every year.
I always vote in yearly local elections. These elections give us the amazing
opportunity to have a say in our governmenta right which many of us millennials
take for granted.
In the presidential election, each state has a certain amount of electoral votes.
This electoral college represents a first-past-the-post voting system; meaning the
candidate who wins the state wins 100 percent of the electoral votes for that state.
Four times in U.S. history the candidate who won the popular vote still lost the
presidential election because they received less electoral votes than their opponent.
In the electoral college system, your vote may or may not contribute to your
candidate actually winning the presidency because of the way electoral votes are
rewarded. Where as in local elections, voters have more power because their votes
contribute directly toward their candidate.
Voting in local elections gives you a voice regarding management of your
environment.
Local officials create ordinances you must follow, so having people who represent
your views in office will help mold your living environment into a place you find
agreeable. Other local officials, like mayors and judges, make decisions that
determine how government affects our lives.
It is vital to research your local candidates and vote because local elections also
help decide how money is spent on our roads, public transportation and how our tax
money is spent. If you want money to be directed toward your school you must find
a candidate who stands for more college funding. The same goes for other issues
that are important to you.
There are a lot of issues you can share your opinion on if you vote locally. For
example, Utah was the first state to enact a 72-hour waiting period before women
can have an abortion procedure. This law had nothing to do with the president or
federal government, but it had to do with people who were voted in on a local and
state level.
Women all over the state are affected by this law. The law was proposed by a man
and approved by a council of men. With only 16 out of 104 Utah state house and
senate members being women, they were forced to let the majority, a council
comprised of men, make womens healthcare decisions. I'm not suggesting that all

women are pro-choice, but women should definitely have more of a say in their own
healthcare laws.
If you want to be represented equally, it is up to you to vote in candidates who will
represent your ideologies.
You get what you vote for, so be sure to vote for the candidates who share your
beliefs.
To see the full ballot for Tuesday go to vote.utah.gov where you can find
information on candidates and what exactly you will be voting for on election day.