Vote in the USA: how local candidates vie for attention

Vote in the USA: how local candidates vie for attention

A particularly great interest was given to the so-called "Down Ballot" elections, which often receive less attention than the presidential elections. It is estimated that there are over 500,000 officials elected in the United States. These elections are crucial because many decisions that affect the daily life of the citizens are made at this level.

The challenge of looking for candidates

Alex Niemczewski, founder of the Ballotready website, describes her experiences when choosing in Chicago: "My ballot paper had 92 positions." She finds that even many journalists and even the mayor often do not know exactly who is running for the various offices. This shows how difficult it is for voters to make informed decisions if there is a lack of local reporting.

NIEMCZEWSKI criticizes the lack of local media reporting about elections and states: "Sometimes there is no reporting at all ... and the voters often find out from the candidates for the first time when they see their names on the ballot." This ignorance means that many voters advise you to vote or do not give up their voice.

The financial aspects of the Down Ballot elections are also remarkable. The candidate Bill Roth, who runs for a position in the Santa Clara Valley Water District, has invested its whole year for this and largely finances his campaign himself. This position has a meaning because the organization manages a budget of around $ 1 billion annually.

Roth describes his motivation: "It is definitely something I always wanted to do." However, he also faces the challenge that many voters do not even know what the water district is doing.

In the meantime, Johnene Stebbins, who runs for the position of judge at the Superior Court in Santa Clara County, is trying to make her face known. "I would like to give people the opportunity to meet a candidate so that they do not simply advise the names on the ballot."

Stebbins admits that she is unknown to many voters and also fights the fact that they like the same ballot papers as prominent candidates as Donald Trump and Kamala Harris. This Situation makes it difficult to stand out from other candidates.

The intensive election of the public prosecutor

One of the most attention -graped local elections is that of the Los Angeles district prosecutor. Here the reigning prosecutor George Gascón, who was elected on a reformist program four years ago, and his challenger Nathan Hochman are faced with each other. This competition is not only more intense, but also more expensive because high sums for advertising and election campaigns are output.

Gascón explains that the overpopulation of prisons and racist attacks by the legal system has been a major problem for years. "The current climate of fear is puzzling, although crime has decreased as a whole," says Gascón. Hochman criticizes Gascón's politics as a "pro-creative approach" and believes that this has caused a feeling of uncertainty in society.

The campaign strategies of both candidates include extensive media campaigns, including television advertising, online advertising and posters. Hochman explains: "The budget that I have to set up for my campaign is $ 2.5 million." However, both candidates recognize that despite all the media presence, the awareness of their own person remains a challenge.

Stebbins and Roth are faced with similar hurdles, since their elections are not the same well as the presidential elections. This makes it necessary for you to actively promote awareness and get in touch with voters.

The elections on this local level are crucial to determine how the citizens vote on their ballot papers. Alex Niemczewski summarizes: "The citizens theoretically hold the local incumbent." However, this obligation to account is often difficult to reach if the voters are not well informed.

Even if you vote, there are many who do not provide sufficient information about the candidates and their plans. This leaves a large space for improvements - well the American democratic process.

A detailed explanation of the possibilities of finding out about candidates and their policies can be found on the platform founded by Niemczewski Ballotready . This platform has set itself the task of collecting information and making it accessible to voters.