Voter Turnout in Local Elections: Why It’s Low and How to Fix It

Voter turnout in local elections has serious implications for our day-to-day lives. In local races, the difference between winning and losing often comes down to just a handful of votes. With turnout in local elections so low, often below 20%, every ballot carries extraordinary weight.

Whether it’s a city council race, school board contest, or zoning referendum, local elections routinely shape the decisions that affect your daily life: how your kids are educated, whether your street gets repaved, or if new housing developments can break ground. The people we elect locally have a powerful say in our communities' futures.

In this article, we’ll break down why local turnout is so low, why it matters more than most people realize, and how candidates, organizers, and everyday voters can help turn things around. 

Why Your Vote Matters More in Local Elections

Local elections have a smaller electorate, which means fewer voters decide the outcome and slimmer margins for the winners. In these races, every ballot is amplified. A single vote might be 1 in 500, not 1 in 5 million.

That’s why local contests are so often decided by a few votes. Most local elections see turnout rates around 15% to 27%, but in some municipal races, less than 10% of eligible voters show up. This statistic is a stark contrast to the 65.3% voter turnout for the 2024 presidential election. When such a small number of people cast their votes in local elections, even small shifts in turnout can reshape entire communities.

These elections aren’t about titles, either. They’re about trust, representation, and decision-making on the issues that affect your everyday life.

Local Election Margins Are Shockingly Small

In 2017, a tied race in Virginia’s 94th House District was decided by chance. After recounts, court challenges, and a single disputed ballot, the winner’s name was drawn from a film canister. That random draw decided control of the Virginia House of Delegates.

Razor-thin margins are a common occurrence, especially in local elections where perhaps only a couple of hundred votes are cast: 

• In a 2023 runoff election for Caddo Parish sheriff in Louisiana, Democrat Henry Whitehorn won by only one vote.

• At the state level, Democrat Adam Gray defeated incumbent Republican John Duarte in California’s 13th district for U.S. House of Representatives in 2024 by 187 votes. That’s a margin of 0.0887%. 

• In 2024, Republican Rebecca Keltie beat out incumbent Democrat Stephanie Vigil for Colorado House of Representatives by three votes, costing the Dems a supermajority in the House. That same year, in the Republican primary for another House race, the winner was decided by only three votes, too. 

• In April 2025, the Harland Lakeside School Board race in Wisconsin went to recount after Morgan Henning initially won by 10 votes. After the recount, her victory was called by just one vote. 

• In Michigan, May, 2025, the Flint City Council had two seats up for grabs. Only three votes separated the winning candidates from third place, and the recount confirmed those candidates’ wins: Beverly Biggs-Leavy received 165 votes; AC Dumas received 165 votes; LaShawn Johnson received 162 votes. 

When turnout is low, your single vote has exponential power.

Why Voter Turnout in Local Elections Matters

While national elections dominate headlines, local governments decide how your trash is picked up, how schools are funded, and whether your neighborhood gets sidewalks or speed bumps.

The areas influenced by local politics include:

• Public safety and policing

• School board policies and education budgets

• Zoning and housing development

• Public transit and infrastructure

• Local parks and recreation

Decisions in these key areas affect your property taxes, rent prices, school quality, and community safety. But local elections typically receive less media coverage, and many don’t see the politics in play in their day-to-day lives. 

LEARN MORE: Understand the causes of voter apathy.

Why Turnout Was Low in 2024 and How We Fix It in 2025

In 2024, voter turnout surged for the presidential election, but local elections held outside of November didn’t see the same attention from voters. 

That’s because:

• Local races are often non-partisan. Non-partisan races can be difficult for some voters because they may rely on party affiliation to make quick decisions on the ballot. Non-partisan races may also feel like they have lower stakes since there’s no party loyalty to fuel their engagement. 

• Voters don’t feel informed about local candidates or issues. It can be tricky to find who’s running, what they stand for, and what your vote actually means. 

• Election dates are scattered and inconsistent across states. Most Americans know we have election day in November, but local elections actually happen throughout the year. 

Low turnout isn’t inevitable. It’s a reflection of systemic barriers, and that means we can change it.

In 2025, thousands of communities will hold elections for school boards, city councils, judicial seats, and more. These races may not make national news, but they will directly shape how neighborhoods are governed, how resources are allocated, and whether voters feel seen by their local leaders.

To increase turnout, we need to:

• Normalize local civic engagement, not just every four years.

• Equip voters with the information they need to make confident choices.

• Invest in get-out-the-vote (GOTV) campaigns and community education.

• Build habits of participation, especially among underrepresented and younger voters.

We can all help to improve turnout. By focusing our energy locally and building a culture of participation, we can transform off-year elections from overlooked footnotes into powerful moments for change.

LEARN MORE: Explore ways to mobilize your community and increase voter turnout.

How Independent Candidates Can Drive Turnout

Independent and third-party candidates face an uphill battle, but also a unique opportunity. In local elections, people vote based on who they trust, not just party lines.

Here’s how you can mobilize more voters:

• Be present. Show up at community events and host town halls.

• Speak directly to local concerns. Don’t just mimic national talking points.

• Educate voters. Explain how local government works and why their vote matters.

• Remove barriers. Help people register, find polling places, and make a plan to vote.

• Create urgency. Let voters know that every single vote could be decisive.

When Independent candidates lead with authenticity and community-first values, they can inspire new voters to show up and take ownership of local democracy.

LEARN MORE: Boost turnout with 10 voter mobilization tactics. 

Voter Turnout Starts at Home

In 2025, thousands of communities will head to the polls to elect school board members, city council representatives, mayors, and more. Many of these races will be decided by just a few hundred, or even a few dozen, votes.

Every time we overlook a local election, we hand power over to the few who do show up. And those few rarely reflect the full diversity, values, or priorities of the community.

Your voice has never mattered more.

Whether you're a first-time voter, a grassroots organizer, or an Independent candidate stepping up to lead, now is the time to act. Change doesn’t trickle down from Washington. It starts in our neighborhoods, block by block, vote by vote.

At GoodParty.org, we’re building the tools to make that change possible. From voter data to grassroots training and campaign tech built for everyday people, we’re here to help you run smarter, reach voters, and win on your terms.

Photo by joshua wann on Unsplash