Local elections are happening today in Missouri, giving Missouri voters a chance to elect their city council members, school board members, mayors and other local offices. Having been pushed from their normal schedule, they fall on June 2, and even the Missouri Secretary of State page only lists a mention of the fact it is happening. These elections, however, have a significant impact on the day to day life, and especially on the kind of society, we want to build.
At the time of the death of Michael Brown in Ferguson, Missouri, a city that was 67% Black, the city council was overwhelmingly white. Why? Because of low voter turnout and lack of interest. Due to this, city councils, city governments, district attorneys, school boards and every other post are filled in a way that often doesn’t represent their community. It does, however, represent those who show up.
In a piece today, President Obama highlighted what this means:
But the elected officials who matter most in reforming police departments and the criminal justice system work at the state and local levels.
It’s mayors and county executives that appoint most police chiefs and negotiate collective bargaining agreements with police unions. It’s district attorneys and state’s attorneys that decide whether or not to investigate and ultimately charge those involved in police misconduct. Those are all elected positions. In some places, police review boards with the power to monitor police conduct are elected as well. Unfortunately, voter turnout in these local races is usually pitifully low, especially among young people — which makes no sense given the direct impact these offices have on social justice issues, not to mention the fact that who wins and who loses those seats is often determined by just a few thousand, or even a few hundred, votes.
So the bottom line is this: if we want to bring about real change, then the choice isn’t between protest and politics. We have to do both. We have to mobilize to raise awareness, and we have to organize and cast our ballots to make sure that we elect candidates who will act on reform.
President Obama is right. If you want to strive for real change, you have to begin to do so immediately, with action that matters. The opportunity for many Missouri residents will be presented today. The expectation is that turnout will be at all-time lows. If we care about the outcome for others, and you live in Missouri, take the time today, go and vote. Some basic instructions are here at the Kansas City Star.
As you vote, you can leave knowing that you had an impact.