Opinion: SU students should amplify impact by engaging in local politics
Local elections often go overlooked due to the attention given to national politics, our columnist writes. She argues students have a civic duty to vote in these elections. Maria Masek | Contributing Illustrator
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Each year in the United States, local elections come and go with little attention, especially among students. College-aged voters consistently have the lowest turnout. These state and local races, often overshadowed by national politics, shape the policies that govern students’ daily lives.
Yet, many students remain disconnected from the political decisions happening in their own communities — both in their hometowns and collegetowns.
When students ignore local elections, decisions that directly affect communities are left in the hands of a narrow and unrepresentative few. Each vote carries even more impact than a presidential election, yet many people choose to disregard the power they have.
Students choose not to vote because they don’t see how local politics affect them, and there is a common belief that the university exists separately from the city. This couldn’t be further from the truth.
Just two weeks ago, Mayor Sharon Owens called out the university for not paying its fair share to the city. As a nonprofit, the university is exempt from paying property taxes on most of its land. If SU paid taxes on all of its property, including its 77.09 acres of exempt or partially exempt land, the city would gain millions of dollars annually.
Clearly, the university’s presence has a significant impact on the city, yet many students still opt out of local elections.
Student organizations have a crucial role to play in connecting SU students with local politics.
Last semester, I attended several Young Democratic Socialists of America meetings, where the focus was placed on getting students to vote in Syracuse elections and engage with issues facing the city. But more can be done.
Many students aren’t even aware of when elections are or how to register to vote in Syracuse. By educating and mobilizing the student body, political groups on campus can ensure students engage with local policy.
If more students were civically engaged and voting locally, we’d eventually see change in the candidates who emerge during gubernatorial, senate and even presidential races.
Ilyan Sarech | Design Editor
There’s a contradictory sentiment in our generation. Many of us only pay attention to presidential races, yet we’re quick to express frustration with the limited options. In a country as diverse as ours, it’s impossible to feel accurately represented by just two candidates.
Voters struggled during the 2024 election with a constant tug-of-war between our nation’s two-party system and the obligation citizens feel to choose the lesser of two evils, rather than a genuinely good option.
Even though local elections don’t gain as much traction as gubernatorial or presidential races, it’s still our civic duty to educate ourselves on who’s running and what’s at stake.
Currently, turnout in most local elections hovers around 20%. Those who vote aren’t representative of the broader electorate. Voters over 65, white voters and those from upper-middle-class backgrounds are heavily overrepresented. This imbalance undermines representative democracy and directly impacts outcomes at every level, including presidential elections.
Students must show up to vote for the school board, comptroller and city council; the impact on our communities would be both immediate and profound.
As SU students, it’s our responsibility to pay attention to local politics and recognize the influence we can have on our cities. Too often, we’re disconnected from the communities we rely on.
Helena Sauriat is a sophomore majoring in journalism and history. She can be reached at hrsauria@syr.edu.
