Coming from a family that prides itself on having NPR as a substitute for background music echoing throughout the house, I have always tried to do my part to be a well-informed citizen. However, as the infamous 2016 election neared, I realized that it was simply not enough to be well informed to be considered an active citizen. Feeling powerless in light of being too young to vote, I volunteered for the Hillary Clinton campaign, phone banking and canvassing everyday after school to feel as if I did as much as I possibly could to have my voice heard. Obviously disheartened after 4:00 AM that November night and by the overwhelming series of attempted bills following, I realized that in order to continue making a difference to the greatest extent possible, I needed to think smaller.

In the face of the controversy-packed trainwreck that is national politics, many people become so invested in the happenings of DC that they fail to participate in the politics that most directly affect them: local politics. Local politics are both easier to get directly involved in than national politics and more influential on individual lives than nationwide legislation.

Though an important aspect of being an active citizen is being involved in matters of the country as a whole, the wellbeing of a nation overall depends on the wellbeing of individual communities. Attending town halls, participating in local elections, and staying informed on legislation that directly affects your residence contribute greatly to national legislation as federal bills are often a reflection of state decisions. For example, before the national ruling on same-sex marriage conducted by the Obama administration, states such as California and Washington had already legalized it. This widespread support helped garner the momentum for the eventual passage of the bill, as federal governments should ultimately aim to reflect the needs of the people they serve.

Similarly, local politics are the very foundation of democracy. Before the widely utilized representative democracy came to be, direct democracy was used in order to give each citizen an equal say in the rules that governed them. Though our society has extended too far to operate on a direct democracy system, involvement in local politics is the next best system we have. Without local politics, our country that prides itself on individualistic ideals would fall to the hands of tyranny, with an overarching legislation making decisions for a whole population.

We are privileged enough to live in a country where we can express our opinions and have a say in the rules we have to abide by. We are given a voice, and local politics is our microphone.