Former US House Speaker Tip O’Neill used to say, “All politics is local.” That feels even more spot-on this week as early voting begins for North Carolina’s 2025 municipal elections. Also this week, a new report revealed that Raleigh city employees quietly advanced a DEI agenda out of view of the public. It’s a reminder that while the country obsesses over national politics, the choices that most affect our day-to-day are made in city halls and county offices, often with little public scrutiny.

In-person early voting for North Carolina’s November municipal elections begins today, Oct. 16, and runs through 3pm on Saturday, Nov. 1, according to the State Board of Elections. Election Day is Tuesday, Nov. 4, with polls open from 6:30am to 7:30pm. Below is an interactive map from the NCSBE providing more information local contests.

single-digit voter turnout

If you’ve ever griped about a pothole or questioned the spending or handling of local government, this your window to shape the future of your community. Whomever manages your community’s growth and budget will arguably have the most direct impact on the quality of life in your neighborhood. Municipal elections are held in odd-numbered years, separate from state and federal contests. That timing helps explain the low turnout but also underscores why engaged voters have outsized electoral power.

Put simply, when people do not turn out to vote, they get the leadership they asked for. According to the North Carolina State Board of Elections, the 2025 municipal cycle’s September contests, saw just 7.96% of registered voters cast a ballot. In 2023, turnout averaged just 13.8% across the state. That means most local leaders, those who set our tax rates, oversee development, and direct police or public works departments were chosen by a small fraction of residents.

In addition to turning out, if you are considering running for office, please also consider starting locally. You can make a big impact and gain much-needed perspective, should you decide to seek state-level office.

staying truly informed is hard

It’s easier than ever to feel “informed,” even if you don’t know what’s happening at city hall. National news updates arrive to your phone by the minute, and social media makes global headlines inescapable. Yet as technology has expanded access, it’s also eroded local awareness. Many Americans can quote a presidential poll but couldn’t name their own mayor or school board chair.

The consolidation of the news industry has deepened that gap. Once, nearly every North Carolina county had its own daily paper or dedicated local newsroom. Today, many have merged or disappeared, replaced by regional outlets and national feeds that rarely cover zoning boards, budgets, or council meetings. We rely on neighbors and social media to stay in the loop locally, but it seems that algorithms amplify outrage, not proximity. We get hit all at once with information from near and far, while still seemingly unaware of local government.

As evidence that niche and local journalism still matters in municipal operations, consider a report released this week by Accuracy in Media. The report alleges efforts by a Raleigh city government office to advance a DEI (Diversity, Equity, & Inclusion) agenda despite a federal executive order to curb DEI mandates in federal government and among those groups receiving federal grants. While the source of funding for this particular Raleigh city office is not immediately clear, the report indicates that city employees tried to keep the programs relatively secret from the tax-paying public. The report highlights how important it is to know what your city or town is doing behind closed doors.

If we look farther west, toward Charlotte, the recent murder on the light rail there sparked international outrage and a policy focus on pretrial detention policies. It could likely lead to a fundamental shift in how magistrates are hired, reviewed, and operate. The municipal elections for Charlotte City Council could have set the stage for this crisis. Would a more proactive city policy toward safety on the light rail have changed the outcome? We may not ever know. But what we do know is that the turnout for the Charlotte City Council election in 2023 was just 4.51%.

“All politics is local”

Whether Tip O’Neill meant that national elected officials need to stay engaged locally, or that local politics most directly impact the voter, his words still ring true. National headlines may spark emotion, but it’s local policy that determines whether your child’s bus arrives on time, your street floods and recovers after a storm, or your town attracts new jobs.

So before you complain about traffic, taxes, or that pothole, ask yourself: Did I vote in my city election?

If you didn’t, someone else made those decisions for you.