So You Want to Get Involved in Local Politics Part 1: Get Informed
While national politics gets increasingly goofy, it will be up to local governments to pick up the slack, and that’s why one of the core philosophies of the ASP is the importance of localism. You may be wondering how to get involved at the local level, and I’m here to tell you that it’s actually shockingly easy! Despite being just some 32 year old who moved to the state of Illinois less than two years ago, I’m already on my local City Council!
To help you along, here’s a simple list of how you can start to get involved today:
Get informed!
Since national politics occupies most of the media airtime, local news tends to get drowned out by the circus music. Indeed, traditional media often isn’t the best way to stay informed about your town, especially as news consolidation runs ever more rampant. So what’s the best way to find out what’s going on?
Your city’s website! Although website quality and depth of resources will vary greatly between municipalities, the city website can still be an excellent source of day-to-day city happenings. Notices of road closures, municipal projects, meeting agendas, and more can be yours with just an occasional glance at the city’s front page! Dig even deeper, and city websites can hold a regular treasure trove of information. Look up who your public representatives are and start to dig into the labyrinthine nightmare that is zoning codes. Perhaps, take a peek at the city’s budget, if you dare. Although there’s a good chance that the presentation may not be exactly what folks call “human readable”, cities lately have done a lot of work at making all this data easier to comprehend, so you may be pleasantly surprised!
Your local newspaper. The smaller, the better, if you can find one. Although still often bogged down by more global concerns, these local newspapers still try to keep an ear to the ground. Supporting local journalism is certainly a noble goal for protecting our news ecosystem.
Social media. While anything you find there will definitely be horribly skewed and opinionated, it can still give a window into local happenings.If you're really lucky, you might find an occasional voice of reason in the grand cacophony. This is especially true of local advocacy groups,with whom you may find common causes. At the very least, your local government entities will often post useful information there as well, so it can be an easier way to stay informed.
Consider leaving your house! As extreme as that might seem, going out and making contact with your local turf is the best way to learn and also grow. Try talking to local small business owners to find out where they are struggling and what new things may be happening around town. Since their livelihoods are tied closely with the community, they already have a vested interest in staying informed.
Get to know your local city councilor. While city councilor is generally a part-time, nearly volunteer position, for which a councilor’s time bandwidth may be limited, many public officials are more than happy to hear from their constituents. Of course, these conversations should be kept respectful and easy-going. Check to see if they have regular office hours, but don’t be afraid to reach out personally and schedule a time to meet! And if that may be kinda intimidating, look also for other local advocates to try and get involved with.
Which brings us to the next step, which will be the topic of my next post: Get Involved!