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The Local Impact Of Uncontested Elections : 1A 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.

We discuss uncontested races and why they matter.

Want to support 1A? Give to your local public radio station and subscribe to this podcast. Have questions? Connect with us. Listen to 1A sponsor-free by signing up for 1A+ at plus.npr.org/the1a.

1A

The Local Impact Of Uncontested Elections

The Local Impact Of Uncontested Elections

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A woman scratches her head as she casts her ballot during the Maryland state primary election at a polling station in Annapolis, Maryland. JIM WATSON/AFP via Getty Images hide caption

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JIM WATSON/AFP via Getty Images

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

JIM WATSON/AFP via Getty Images

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?

Find more of our programs online. Listen to 1A sponsor-free by signing up for 1A+ atplus.npr.org/the1a.