Election Information | Photo by Arden Reimer | The Wright State Guardian
A lot of the media’s focus has been on the polarizing national and state elections. But local elections are just as important. Here is a rundown for those who may be overwhelmed with the number of elections going on.
What are local elections?
Local elections are a crucial part of the election cycle that are often overlooked. Local elections are crucial in how a city is run. Local positions like Mayor, City Commissioner and Judge are all ones that are chosen for local elections.
The choices made during these elections can affect the way a city is run for years. It is important for citizens to have a voice in this decision. Here is some information about counties near you.
Greene County
Wright State University is located in Greene County. Some big cities in Greene county include Beavercreek, Xenia, Yellow Springs and Fairborn. The biggest races coming out of Greene County are the 71st State Representative and Ohio State Supreme Court Judges.
The 71st State Representative race is between Democrat Krsita MaGaw (Yellow Springs, OH) and Republican Levi Dean (Xenia, OH).
In a recent phone interview with The Wright State Guardian, MaGaw stressed the importance of education during this election.
“Ohio is one of the only states that leaves funding to schools on a local level. This makes room for more rural schools to learn less due to resources, whereas the wealthier schools have better education for the opposite reason,” MaGaw said.
“The way we do things was ruled unconstitutional years ago. If elected, I intend on helping work to make things fair for our children. It’s a known fact that children are graduating [highschool] learning less nowadays.”
The Wright State Guardian reached out to Levi Dean, but did not receive a response.
Clark County
Bigger cities in Clark County include Springfield, Enon and South Charleston. Clark County has a few local positions on offer this election cycle: Sheriff, County Commissioner, and several State Senate seats (including MaGaw).
The media circus following the mention of immigrants in a recent presidential debate has left Clark County in the spotlight, making it a natural focus point for many candidates' campaigns.
“We are determined to fix the immigrant issue,” the Clark County Republican Party said in a statement to the Wright State Guardian.“Many of our candidates aim to make things fair and just for our United States citizens.”
The Wright State Guardian reached out to the Clark County Democratic Party, but did not receive a response.
Montgomery County
Montgomery County makes up the other half of the Miami Valley. It includes Huber Heights, Centerville, Trotwood and Downtown Dayton. The largest positions on the ballots for these elections are judicial positions and County Treasure.
However, many races in Montgomery County have only one person running. This is common in local elections and leaves voters with limited choices.
Despite this, the Montgomery County Democratic Party remains optimistic about their candidates.
“We are very confident in our candidates this year,” the Montgomery County Democratic Party explained. “We feel though we have an amazing group of candidates that are experienced and ready to help our community”.
The Wright State Guardian reached out to the Montgomery County Republican Party, but did not receive a response.
Where can I vote?
Voters can look for their polling locations on their respective county websites or on the Secretary of State’s Website
Election day is Nov. 5 and polls are open from 6:30 a.m. to 7:30 p.m.
