Local government is the government administration in the small offices usually in different localities. It has some effects on everyone’s life as it covers a wide range of departments in the country. This includes improving the level of education in local areas, taking control of social services, maintaining cleanliness in the estates and roads (Kemp, 220). Over a long duration the local government has always been trying to offer quality services to the public. The leaders in the local government are all elected by the residents of that locality. These are the people who are concentrated in one area.
The political desires of the community are put across through the elections whereby the public is allowed to put up their agenda for their locality. The higher the voters turn up, the greater the fair authority of the elected leaders. Moreover, the stronger the claim the public may put forward for actions (Saffell, 250). However, it has been noted that despite all factors local elections attracts small voter turnouts. This problem occurs in many localities whereby the turnout is sometimes less than a half of the whole population.
This problem of small voter turnout, study done has proved that it’s mainly affected by the social, economic and political affiliation within a locality. Well up neighborhoods are noted to register a higher voter turnout than the disadvantaged ones. Stiff competition among the contesting parties, creates uncertainty of the final results and finally higher voter turnout is expected. In most local areas, there is only one party which is dominant and this leads to a small voter turn out (Kemp, 112).There are some evidences to proof that an area with a higher voter population, the lower the voter turnout. Some people in the local areas tend to ignore the election; especially democracy was not applied in the previous period. Some leaders tend to forget the needs of the public. The action of the leaders should be a good tool for motivating the public to get involved in the next elections. The rule of compulsory voting should be put forward for every citizen to follow (Saffell, 125). This should be followed by some enforcement like fines, imprisonment or precise explanation. This rule of small turnout of voter has some exceptions in the localities where the participation of the elections is compulsory to every citizen.
In the country, during the elections period voters are subject to mobilization. The key players in this part are the parties contesting, the contestants themselves, and the groups with special interests whereby they use resources to mobilize the, citizens. For any one to be a voter during the day of elections, he/she must register in advance before the day of the elections. Citizens are highly motivated to register before, through provision of the registering personnel almost in every part of the nation. The registration takes place for a long duration to ensure every citizen was able to register. The candidates are given a free website through which they can inform the voters (Wvuv.org).
Towards the day of the elections, citizens are mobilized through continous announcements of the big day through media services. This may be done by a certain contestant as he promises the citizens how he will fulfill their promises after the election, if he wins. It can also be done by an interested group which might be supporting a certain party or a particular contestant. Some agents of the elections use money and gifts to mobilize people to turn up and offer their support on that day of elections.
Works cited
Kemp, L.R. Local Government Election Practices: A Handbook for Public Officials and Citizens. McFarland, 1999.
Saffell, D.C., Basehart, H. State and Local Government: Politics and Public Policies. (7th ed.). McGraw- Hill, 2000.
Wvuv.org. League of Women Voters Guide. (2008). Web.