I know you might be distracted by the dumpster fire that is American politics right now. I know it might be difficult to hold several political events in your mental bandwidth at once. Many people I know are still processing November 5, January 20, and the hellscape that has been unleashed on millions of Americans since DJT 2.0 has returned to Washington, D.C., for their “Grift and Destruction Tour.” But here we are and we must chew gum while walking, as they say.
The framers of American democracy constantly debated about the true essence of democracy and many argued that it could best be found in local politics. The debate continues, and even as barely 60% of Americans bother to turn out for presidential elections, the numbers for local elections are even more bleak. In modern history, New Yorkers have had closer to 60% choose not to participate in municipal elections. Sometimes barely a quarter of the voting-eligible population bothered to turn out.
In the next few months, I will be writing a lot about the importance of voting in local elections. There are so many important political offices on your ballot; some ranked choice, some not. Election Day is June 24, and New Yorkers will have a chance to vote for mayor, comptroller, public advocate, city council members, borough presidents, and district attorneys, depending on where you live.
Related: OP-ED: The American Dream and the Myth of Meritocracy
My podcast FAQ.NYC has already begun interviewing mayoral candidates. I am also a part of the NY Editorial Board, a group of journalists who are interviewing mayoral candidates and releasing the transcripts and audios of them in the hot seat for an hour. TheCity.NYC has lots of resources for those interested in learning more about ranked choice voting and issues facing the city.
Several other outlets and podcasts are interviewing folks running for elected office. There are also several forums each week in various boroughs where you can see the candidates in person and hear their platforms and plans for affordable housing, policing and public safety, education and specialized high schools, sanctuary city status, and so much more.
A lot is being asked of us emotionally and intellectually, but we will only achieve the democracy we deserve if we stay engaged and participate in elections — especially crowded primaries. If you have questions about issues, candidates, or the process, I will be writing about it all quite a lot these next few months leading up to June 24. Until then, start doing your own research about the candidates in your district and those who are running citywide. We cannot afford to abstain from these important local elections.
Christina Greer, Ph.D., is an associate professor at Fordham University; author of the books “How to Build a Democracy: From Fannie Lou Hamer and Barbara Jordan to Stacey Abrams” and “Black Ethnics: Race, Immigration, and the Pursuit of the American Dream”; and co-host of the podcast FAQ-NYC.