DEAR EDITOR:

Election season is here and early voting is underway in Ohio. That’s why the League of Women Voters of Greater Youngstown is strongly encouraging voters to get educated about local races and make their voices heard at the ballot box.

While some may call this an “off-year” election — we say there are no “off” years. Local elections have real consequences. They matter — a lot. Local races are where the action is, and they’re the ones that determine whether our families and communities thrive or decline — in real ways.

Take the mayoral and city council races. These local elected leaders have a serious impact on our quality of life. They manage our public services like EMS, utilities, roadwork, water systems and waste removal. They oversee police and fire departments, local libraries, and health departments. They’re responsible for business development and job creation and hold the purse strings to local budgets made up of our tax dollars. They even ensure our system of laws and governance.

And races for school board, township trustee and the judiciary pack the same kind of serious punch. School board members set policy concerning the education of our children, and township trustees run our police and fire departments in our townships. Local judges uphold the rule of law in our communities and decide cases in traffic, criminal, family and probate courts.

It’s easy to become complacent, we know, especially in a state that is so badly gerrymandered and where races are at times uncontested. But remember — local elections are often decided by just a handful of votes. Your voice really DOES matter in each and every election.

That’s why we say “be vocal, vote local.” It’s about doing your homework and showing up. Get informed, vote early and check out what’s on the ballot in our bilingual voter guide. It’s available at all branches of the Public Library of Youngstown and Mahoning County, the Libby App, many retail establishments, civic organizations, as well as on-line at Vote411.org.

LISA LEE KOHLER

President

League of Women Voters of Greater Youngstown