by Devyn Amigh
Additional interviews by Julianna Brock, Cassandra Harris, Avery Jerina, Leslie Krebs, Cade Montgomery, Jill Musser, Kalliyan Winder
Seth Kaskey, who splits his time between Florida and Green Tree, said he flew back to Pittsburgh on Tuesday specifically with the intention of voting – but by midday had forgotten about Election Day.
“Oh my god, I forgot there’s an election today,” he said around noon, adding that he still intended to vote later in the day.
Bradley Marscher, 34, of Robinson Township, is a Public Defender for Allegheny County and believes that voting is of the utmost importance.
“The criminal justice system impacts everybody, and that’s the main importance for voting,” Marscher said. “More defense attorneys and public defenders, less prosecutors on the bench.”
Sydney Zelenko, 25, also of Green Tree, said that she would not be voting in this election because she is not educated enough in politics.
“I think you should vote if you’re knowledgeable, but if you’re not I don’t think you should vote just to vote,” Zelenko said.
Local elections determine leadership that governs various aspects of daily life at the local level – and yet not a lot of people turn out for off-year elections, compared to the high-profile presidential races every four years. These so-called “off” years do not include any national candidates on the ballot.
Most Americans are not consistent voters, according to a study by the Pew Research Center that looked at participation rates from 2018 to 2022. Seventy percent of eligible U.S. adult citizens voted at least once in the three general elections, but only 37% voted in all three.
Young voters can be particularly fickle. Only 23% of young people voted in the 2022 election nationwide, according to Tuft University’s Center for Information and Research on Civic Learning and Engagement. Pennsylvania bucked the trend with one of the highest percentages of young voters, at 31.7%.
Victoria Pennoyer, a Duquesne University student, 20, said that she did not vote in this election as she is not registered.
“My high school helped us all register to vote but unfortunately it was during COVID-19, so I missed out on that.” Pennoyer said that she would vote if she were registered but since she is not, she does not educate herself on government matters.
Swervee Webb, 20, is a full-time YouTuber and resident of Pittsburgh. While he has abstained from voting in this current local election, he emphasized the importance of voting in this country and in Pennsylvania. He sees voting as a mechanism for residents to uplift their political voice, but not without consequence as not all people get the satisfaction of their representative winning.
“It gives people the opportunity to have the person they want to represent them,” Webb said, despite not voting on Tuesday. “Nobody really wants, like, a person they don’t trust to represent them, so to be able to choose the person to represent us, I think, is a good thing.”
Judy Clack, the vice president of voter services for League of Women Voters of Greater Pittsburgh, can attest to the importance of elections. She has been a member of the organization for 47 years and aims to help educate on this topic. The League of Women Voters is a non-partisan group that helps to educate voters and non-voters about elections and candidates.
“We want everyone to register and everyone to vote.” Clack said. “It decides things that affect you at the city and municipal level. They are electing things that impact you and it really hits home. I truly believe if more people participated, things would be a lot better.”
Local elections directly influence the allocation of resources and the implementation of policies that shape the daily lives of residents. By exercising the right to vote, citizens play a role in ensuring that their community’s needs and concerns are addressed, Clack said.
Alyssa Blake, 19, from Rochester New York, is a University of Pittsburgh student who believes in voting for women’s rights. While new to the city of Pittsburgh, she loves the city and will be voting in this year’s election.
“I think it’s good to have people who represent your ideals and values and finding that person that would best benefit the citizens of the county,” said Blake.
Emma Pavlek, 20, of Beaver County, wants to vote in this year’s election but is unable to, as she is not registered in Pittsburgh.
“The place where I’m registered to vote is back home in Beaver County and I don’t have access to get back home where I’m signed up to vote, unfortunately,” Pavlek said. “A lot of people think what they vote for, what they believe in doesn’t matter, but it does especially in local elections.”
For local elected officials, these races make all the difference too. Brad Germaux, the supervisor for Blair Township in Blair County, said he believes that municipal elections are just as important as larger scale elections.
“I feel these little local elections that don’t often have a great turnout are more important than people realize,” Germaux said. “Some people choose not to vote because they think their vote isn’t going to matter. They think it’s easier to stay home on the couch and not vote, but their voice does matter.”
