WASHINGTON, DC, Oct 31 — There are a lot of good things you can say about the digital age in which we live: it’s easier to keep in touch with each other, it has expanded access to learning opportunities, and it has provided the average Joe access to vast sources of information. On the negative side, it makes it easier to widely spread disinformation, it gives bad guys the ability to anonymously do bad things, and it has invaded our private lives. As the time to vote approaches, these concerns are only heightened.
It also has become the source of political mayhem both in national and local elections. Indeed, look at what happened in the 2020 Presidential Elections. According to Pew Research “About half [of those polled] predict that humans’ use of technology will weaken democracy between now and 2030 due to the speed and scope of reality distortion, the decline of journalism and the impact of surveillance capitalism.”
John Haughey is a journalist with an extensive background in local government and state legislatures. In an article for a recent edition of The Epoch Times, he wrote: “Amid the sustained shrinkage of local and state media outlets, and mushrooming growth of 24/7 cable news networks and digital news sites that nearly exclusively focus on national issues and midterm races, state legislatures garner increasingly less coverage beyond undermanned capitol news bureaus that are often mere shells of their former staffing … But make no mistake: state lawmakers adopt policies, impose regulations, and issue decisions that have more relevancy and impact in voters’ day-to-day lives than those that come from Congress.”
According to Mary Ellen Klas, Capitol Bureau Chief for the Miami Herald, the coverage of local hews is diminishing and political media coverage has become more nationalized; as a result “voter polarization increases. One key sign: split-ticket voting, the inclination of voters to choose candidates regardless of party affiliation, decreases in presidential and senatorial elections … more than one study has shown that decreased awareness in local and state politics leads to lower voter turnout and less civic engagement.” She headlined her piece published by the journalism website, Neiman Reports: “When local journalism declines, so does government transparency and civic engagement.”
The Harvard Political Review found that voter apathy “has driven the discourse surrounding local elections. An academic study examined 340 mayoral elections across 144 populous U.S. cities found that a lack of campaign spending, low voter mobilization, and the consequent decrease in media coverage all contribute to the low turnout rates that have become a trend around the country. In fact, in Chicago, low mayoral turnout was attributed to voters who felt that they had been left behind by their local leaders. Democracy is at its best when the people’s voices are heard and status quo attitudes towards local elections reflect an area for improvement. People should pay more attention to local elections and take the time to learn about the stances of local candidates and propositions. Local elections have important consequences and voters should not dismiss them.”
Granted, the stakes at the national level in this year’s midterm elections are high and the media, nationally and locally, may be lacking in coverage of home town and home state issues. But that doesn’t mean voters get an automatic pass. As the Harvard report summed it up, “Apathy and low turnout should not continue to define local elections. Although the media and general civics education play a large role in fueling this lack of democratic participation, the causes are not as important as the steps that individuals can take to have their voice heard. Individuals can research candidates and their stances on issues, and then proceed to vote based on the information that they have learned.”
This time around, the national midterm elections have a justifiable, high profile importance. Your vote is critical. But don’t forget to cast your ballots for local and state issues and candidates.
The Epoch Times report notes that on the ballots locally, “There are 435 U.S. House and 34 U.S. Senate seats on midterm referendums nationwide, with voters also set to elect 36 governors. But these contests will only be seen by people in most states when they go to the polls to vote on Nov. 8 … Also on tap will be 133 ballot measures in 37 states and elections for 6,279 of 7,383 state legislature seats across 46 states.”