Politics Are Local
- rootedinhopevolusi
- 5 days ago
- 3 min read
“All politics is local"
Often associated with Tip O'Neill, Speaker of the U.S. House of Representatives from 1977 to 1987
Why Should I Care? Top Five Reasons to Get Involved in Local Politics
By Carol J. Meier
A few months ago, a friend invited me to a Volusia County Council meeting on November 18. Hmm, I deferred. Why should I go? It’s a forty-five minute drive to our County Court House in Deland. The meetings have a reputation of going long into the evening, leaving the issues we all care about until last on the agenda. Sometimes there are no seats left, requiring commenters to put up with an obstructed view, or worse, grab a seat on the carpet. Wouldn’t I be better off sitting on my couch watching Netflix?
The answer is, well, no. I wouldn’t be better off. Local politics provide a way to make a difference that can be gratifying, for these reasons:
Reason #5
Be an Educated Voter.
I had to do a little research to figure out what district I am in, and who represents me on the Council. Here’s what I found out. Volusia County is comprised of five districts, and each is represented by a Councilman. (And yes, they are all men.) Plus there is an at-large Councilman, who represents the entire county, as well as the Chair of the Council. Each serves a four year term, and three of the people who represent me are up for election in 2026. So I will need to decide whether to vote for them. An important decision. Perhaps I should meet them.
Reason #4
Tell them What you Think.
As elected officials, the Councilmen want to know what their constituents think. And I like to think that they listen, and consider carefully what voters have to say, without the distortions of traditional media and social media. Before going to the meeting, I sent emails to my three elected officials, and one even wrote back! At the meetings, the constituents are invited to speak for two minutes each. You fill out a form when you come in, and the Chair will wait until all have spoken before moving on. On my issue in November, 61 people spoke. Do the math - that’s more than two hours of comments. Seems like a fair process to me, when everyone has a voice.
Reason #3
Understand Others in the Community.
On November 18, the issue that brought me to Deland was the proposed dedication of a portion of Maytown Road in Osteen as the "Charlie Kirk Memorial Highway" (item 09). I won’t go into my opinions on this proposal, except to say that I disagreed strongly. (That’s a topic for another blog.) Hearing the constituents talk, my anxiety level rose and my heart was pounding with emotion. Who needs that? But there are compensations. The people who spoke, in only two minutes each, were credible, composed, educated, compassionate, and eloquent. They spoke about heritage, and values that I care about. I had an incredible feeling that I am not alone. And just by being in the room, I offered support.
Reason #2
Affect Change.
At the end of the November 18 meeting, which went late into the evening, the Council moved to table item 09 indefinitely and direct the staff to develop a policy for future road designations. The motion carried 6-0. I like to think that the people in the room made a difference.
Reason #1
Make Volusia County a Better Place to Live.
I’ve attended other meetings since that one, and I found that I learn a lot each time I go. Usually something outrages me enough to get me there, but the other issues on each agenda are important to me too. I’ve learned about paving and driveways, airports and advertising, VOTRAN and paratransit, rivers and beaches, and the Rocky Horror Picture Show and kids’ art classes.
We all need to take ownership of our community and work together. And sometimes that means getting off the couch.
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