If you’re like most voters, you probably think of elections in terms of the top of the ticket—president, senator, maybe governor. But beneath those headline races is where real power often hides. Local elections shape the world you live in every day.
From the school board that sets your child’s curriculum to the county commissioner who decides how your roads get paved, down-ballot races are where democracy lives or dies.
And right now, we’re losing them.
Why Local Elections Matter
The right has spent decades quietly organizing to win school boards, city councils, and county clerk positions. And it’s working. Today, policies once considered fringe are becoming law—not in Congress, but in your town.
Examples:
- Book bans and curriculum censorship passed by conservative school boards
- Attacks on LGBTQ+ rights at the city level
- Anti-abortion enforcement ordinances passed by county officials
- Uncontested elections, where far-right candidates win simply because no one runs against them
Local offices also serve as stepping stones to higher office. If we don’t contest the bottom of the ballot, we’re handing the right a deep bench of future leaders.
The Contest Every Race Crisis
According to Contest Every Race, in 2022 more than 100,000 local elected seats went uncontested—two-thirds of them by Democrats. That means tens of thousands of conservatives now hold public office simply because no one challenged them.
Let that sink in: we didn’t lose those races—we gave them away.
This isn’t just a tactical error. It’s a moral one.
If we want to defend democracy, we have to show up everywhere, including the forgotten races.
What Power Looks Like Down Ballot
Here’s a glimpse of what’s often controlled by local positions:
| Office | Real-World Power |
|---|---|
| School Board | Determines what books can be taught or banned |
| County Commissioner | Controls jail budgets, zoning, public health |
| City Council | Sets police funding, housing laws, transit access |
| Sheriff | Directly enforces local criminal justice policy |
| Clerk of Court | Oversees elections, voter registration access |
These aren’t abstract ideas. These are the people deciding whether your neighbors have clean water, safe housing, or the right to be seen.
What You Can Do Today
You don’t need to wait for the next presidential cycle. You can start organizing for down-ballot races right now.
1. Learn What’s on Your Ballot
Look up your next local election date. Visit BallotReady.org or your local board of elections. Even in off-years, school board and special elections are happening.
2. Recruit Local Candidates
Know someone passionate, thoughtful, and trusted in your community? Ask them to run. Or consider it yourself. Seriously—if not you, who?
3. Join a Local Political Group
Check with your county Democratic party, Swing Left, or local Indivisible group. If there’s no infrastructure—build it.
Final Word
Democracy doesn’t die in darkness. It dies on page 3 of the ballot.
If we want to protect our rights, our communities, and our future, we need to stop ceding ground at the local level. The most important races in your lifetime might be happening this year in your own town—and no one’s talking about them.
Until now.
Our next post “How to Build Local Political Power from Scratch” will come out on March 28th, check back soon!
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