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The local impact of uncontested elections

A woman scratches her head as she casts her ballot during the Maryland state primary election at a polling station in Annapolis, Maryland.
A woman scratches her head as she casts her ballot during the Maryland state primary election at a polling station in Annapolis, Maryland.

You’ve likely heard the saying “all politics is local.” 

But here’s the hitch. For many local offices, there’s often just one candidate running in a race. Sometimes, nobody’s running at all.In 2022, 67 percent of races went uncontested. That’s according to the nonpartisan research organization BallotReady.

That not only leaves voters with a lack of choice, but also raises questions about how and where we choose to live and who influences local policies.

So why do uncontested races matter? And how do they shape our ability to choose what policies go into effect?

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A.C. Valdez