Opinion: Vote in local elections
It is your civic duty — as well as in your community’s best interest — to vote in all elections, specifically the upcoming local election.
Your vote has a greater influence at a local level than at a national level. By voting, you can have a positive impact on our Logan campus and the whole valley.
When asked what the best way a student should go about voting, Ethan Conlee, the Student Advocate Vice President, said to “represent the students after you.”
Your campus is a part of your current student life, but when you graduate, a new wave of students come to Logan. When voting, think of the candidate who best aligns with what you want your community to be like.
“Activism on a local level is more important than a national level,” Conlee said.
The likelihood a single citizen’s word will be heard by a state or national representative is far less than with a local official. For instance, when trying to contact Mayor Holly Daines, I received a phone call from her secretary fewer than two hours after my call.
At the start of the pandemic in 2020, national and local lawmakers set policies in response to statistics and headlines. However, more specific policies came at a local level in response to the national and statewide declarations of emergencies.
For instance, in response to the governor’s declaration of a state of emergency in August 2020, the Logan Municipal Council decided on a mask mandate.
Despite the importance of local elections, local voter turnout has been between 15-27% of eligible voters compared to a national election voter turnout of 60% of eligible voters. In August, the Logan mayor primary had a 22.24% voter turnout. Fewer than half the number of individuals that vote at a national level vote at a local level. As students, there are issues primarily addressed on a local level — such as housing — which are a constant problem for our age group.
Most recently, 800 Block apartments left hundreds of students without housing less than two months before school began. The same parent company, Nelson Partners, has treated their residents unfavorably in recent months. Issues like these can be addressed and solved at a local level by the mayor’s office and Logan Municipal Council.
At one of the latest meetings of the Logan Municipal Council on Oct. 5, they discussed parking strip landscaping, addressed budget adjustments and dealt with a handful of other local issues.
There was time in the meeting for members of the public to bring up grievances. However, no one spoke. These meetings occur on the first and third Tuesday of every month. The mayor was present — as well as other members of her council — ready to hear public concerns. This is just one of the mayors’ responsibilities and one of the ways the mayor’s authority matters to you.
Mayor Daines answered multiple questions about her previous accomplishments helping the life of USU students, as well as her future intentions. In her current administration, she has helped make downtown Logan more pedestrian friendly, has set up the Center Street arch, and added more foliage.
She also aided in collecting two million dollars in private funding for a new Center Block Plaza. Planners want to include a stage for concerts, multiple new restaurants, an ice rink for the winter months and a splash pad for summer months in the plaza. The hope is to have a more entertaining town square for Logan and for the students at USU.
There has also been a $4.1 million grant given to Logan by UDOT for a pedestrian underpass at W. 600 S. under South Main St. Builders say it will increase travel accessibility by trail and recreational resources for Logan citizens.
These decisions and many like them are influential to your campus life and your community. Millions of dollars and large infrastructure changes are being made on your behalf based on your vote.
To register to vote in Utah you must be a U.S. citizen, reside in Utah for at least 30 days before the election, and be at least 18 years old on or before the election day. Logan has two options for voting in this election: vote-by-mail and in person on election day, Nov. 2.
Two candidates have passed the primary election for mayor of Logan. One is an incumbent, Daines, and the other is an active member of USU alumni programs.
Holly Daines served as mayor the past four years. Prior to that, she served in the Logan Municipal Council for eight years.
The other candidate is Dee Jones. He is a member of multiple Utah State Universities associations such as Aggies Unlimited, the Old Main Society and the USU Alumni Hall of Honor. He has also served with the mayor’s civil service commission.
These candidates are people who care about our community and are following their civic duty by running for mayor. It is our civic responsibility to research about, learn about and vote for a candidate that would be best for you, your university and your home.
Sara Prettyman is a Maryland-born-and-raised sophomore. She’s majoring in applied mathematics and loves drawing, running and reading.