With one month to go until election, we hope you’ve marked Election Day (April 13th) on your calendar, or have planned to vote absentee (beginning April 1st.) And don’t forget, if you’re not already registered in Dedham, you have one week left to do that (March 22nd) to be eligible to vote this spring!
But do you know why it’s important to vote in local elections? As we’re out meeting residents, we’ve realized that younger or new residents, heck even longtime residents, may not fully understand how the town is structured, or what our elected officials do for the town. Voter turnout in local elections hovers around just 20% of registered voters, and in a large, diverse town like Dedham that means only a very small portion of residents are being represented in town decisions.
We can change that. Your voice can be heard, and you make a difference. But first…here are 5 questions and answers about local government.
1) What is local government? Local government is anything that falls below the jurisdiction of state government. States typically have two tiers of local government: counties and municipalities (referred to as towns or cities in Massachusetts). In Massachusetts, counties serve as judicial court districts and sheriff’s departments, while cities and towns hold power over parks and recreation services, libraries, police and fire departments, and public works. While local government does control these important services and programs, all local government decisions must abide by the state Constitution.
2) How is local government structured? In Dedham and most of New England, towns are organized in Town Meeting style, where decision-making power is split between a legislative branch of town representatives and an executive branch called the Board of Selectmen. In Dedham we elect five selectmen, who serve townwide, and 273 Town Meeting members (39 members from each of 7 precincts.) Annual Town Meetings take place twice a year in May & November to approve the town budget and determine course of action for proposed bylaws and regulations.
Towns also have various boards, commissions, and committees that focus on specific issues and policies throughout the town. In Dedham there are over 30 such groups, such as the Council on Aging, the Board of Library Trustees, the Youth Commission and so much more.
All Town Meeting members, Selectmen, and nearly all members of boards, commissions, and committees are volunteers and do not get paid. They’re just doing it to give back to the town!
3) What specifically does a Selectmen do? The Selectmen hire and oversee the Town Manager and make appointments to other Town offices, boards, and committees. They also oversee licensing and they formulate policy directives and guidelines for all Town agencies. The selectmen serve 3-year terms, and conduct their business in public meetings, usually held twice a month at Town Hall.
4) Why should you care? While issues pertaining to the Federal government are much more prominent in the media, decisions made by the town government are more likely to impact you on a day-to-day basis, such as funding for public schools, new town buildings or projects, traffic patterns, parks and recreation activities, taxes, and much more. And while you may have minimal contact with representatives from the federal or even state government, you are much more likely to have contact with local government representatives, which means your voice can actually be heard.
5) How can you help? First and foremost, you can help by voting. The next town election is April 13, and with major changes on the horizon for Dedham, it’s important we get residents out to vote. You can also encourage your friends and neighbors to register to vote. [Please consider casting one of your two votes for Selectmen this election for Sarah MacDonald!]
You can also help by staying informed in town issues, whether it’s this election or future projects and decisions. If Sarah is elected, she’ll make sure all that information is readily accessible to residents. Right now, all meetings are listed on the town website (and provided by Sarah each week on the Select Sarah Facebook page), and many of the meetings are open to the public, so stop by to see what it’s all about. Maybe your name will be on the next ballot!
Want to know more, or help elect Sarah to the Select Board? Reach us at Sarah@SelectSarah.com.
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