Young People, Looking to Engage with Local Politics? Your Advocacy Toolkit Has Arrived

The Importance of Engaging in Local Politics

In a country where national politics dominate our political narratives, it is easy to forget the importance of local politics. The looming presence of nationwide issues often obscures the perceived impact of local politics, making us believe our efforts to create political change will be fruitless. This feeling can be especially pervasive among young people, who feel voiceless either because they are too young to vote, or because they don’t see their perspectives or experiences being represented in or considered by government.

But municipal governments, just like the federal government, play a paramount role in every individual’s life, and you can be an active driver of the change that is enacted by these local political bodies. The recent fight to fund New York City’s public libraries – an essential resource for all New Yorkers, especially for our city’s youth – is indicative of how important and effective political engagement and activism is in safeguarding our access to critical services. Thanks to the advocacy of library workers, grassroots organizations, and active constituents, our public libraries were shielded from tens of millions of dollars in budget cuts. This is just one example of how being engaged in local political activism has tangible impacts on you and your community.

Making Your Voice Heard

In New York City, the opportunities for young people to be a part of political change are practically endless; our local governing bodies provide many built-in paths that New Yorkers can take to make our voices heard.

The first step is knowing who your representatives are and how to contact them. Community Boards, City Council Members, and Borough Presidents are responsible for representing individual boroughs, districts, and communities, including yours. All New Yorkers are represented by three elected officials who hold citywide office: the mayor, the Public Advocate, and the Comptroller.

To find your Community Board and City Council district and representative, all you have to know is your address.

All Community Board meetings are monthly and open to the public; you can find the address of your Community Board online.

Once you know who your City Council representative is, you can utilize their City Council Office contact information to reach out to them about issues that you think need to be addressed in your community or throughout the city.

You can also follow your representative as they introduce and pass legislation by using the Legistar database, an online resource which documents all future and past legislative activity in the City Council. If you are interested in watching the legislative process in action, you can access a live feed of every meeting or hearing.

Finally, if you want to speak on a specific issue or a challenge, you can register to give testimony directly in City Hall chambers or in a remote capacity.

These are all meaningful ways to get involved with local politics, and more specifically, with the democratic process as it occurs in real time. A reminder: being under the age of 18 does not mean that you do not have a voice in political decision making. All of the aforementioned methods are open to you regardless of your age or your voting status.

A young woman of color with a black shirt and puffer jacket holds a microphone in her right hand, speaking into it animatedly as she looks out on a crowd of fellow protesters.

Voting

While voting is not the only way to be civically engaged, it is an important and effective tool in advocacy. In New York, you can pre-register to vote as early as 16 years old and you are eligible to vote once you turn 18.

Additionally, you can use online resources to prepare for election day by researching what is on your ballot. For example, this fall in New York City – along with candidates running in national and state-wide elections – several proposed revisions to the New York City Charter will be on our local ballot. Before you enter the voting booth (or send in your absentee ballot), it is important to know exactly what you are voting for or against when it comes not only to the presidency, but also to the City Charter, which is basically our city’s constitution.

Youth Organizing Opportunities

Finally, political engagement is not limited to official governing processes such as voting or giving testimony. New York City is home to countless organizations that work to address community and city-wide issues through policy and advocacy. Many of these groups are seeking young organizers and advocates to fuel their movements. If you are looking to join a team united by a shared cause, you may find organization-based advocacy fulfilling. To find out more, see the resources listed below.

By Kate Marriott, Communications Intern, with support from Director of Communications Kevin Fagan and Deputy Digital Media Director Mirielle Clifford

Images: A Combat Homelessness Press Conference and BLM At School NYC Rally, by Caroll Andrewsk for Office of the NYC Public Advocate

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