Smart Talk: Local government and civic participation
Association leaders discuss ways people can get involved
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Merideth Bucher
Your local government needs your help.
In Pennsylvania, there are 67 counties and 2,562 municipalities. They are responsible for, among other things, planning and paying for roads, organizing police and fire services, and holding elections.
However, some local governments struggle to fill vacancies — whether it’s electing people into public office, recruiting firefighters, or finding volunteers for community events.
Government officials also express concern that public interest is lower during what is referred to as an off-year election cycle. Voter turnout is typically lower during municipal elections than during high-profile elections that have a national or a state focus.
Dave Sanko of the Pennsylvania State Association of Township Supervisors and Doug Hill of the County Commissioners Association of Pennsylvania joined Smart Talk Wednesday to discuss the important role of local governments and this election cycle.
Key Points:
2:00 – Voter turnout in a off-year election cycle
9:29 – The role of the media covering local government
15:12 – Running for office at the local level
24:05 – Caller comments on the number of jurisdictions impacting the number of volunteers
33:26 – Civics education is needed
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