I have been counting down the days until I can vote since I was a sophomore in high school during the last presidential election. Everything about voting entices me. From filling out my ballot in a private booth to waiting with anticipation for the election results, I feel that voting is my way to contribute.

As anxious as I am to vote in the upcoming election in November, I realize that I am not living up to my duties as a voter to the greatest extent because I have not followed or participated in a municipal election.

Though often forgotten in the realm of politics, municipalities can have the most direct influence on our lives. While many of the bills that go through Congress take years to be signed into legislation, the decisions of local government usually receive timely execution.

For example, Omaha Mayor Jean Stothert recently began commenting on diverting more tax dollars toward developing technology to make garbage pickup more environmentally friendly. Stothert said the city should stop collecting yard and solid waste separately, reducing the employees needed for

waste management.

Her initiative would have immediate effects on the waste management industry in Omaha, the usage of taxpayers’ dollars and the nationwide effort concerning climate change. While this issue has been a top priority of President Obama, because of the difficulty of passing legislation in Congress, little action has occurred that we notice in our daily lives.

Although the actions of government, from the local to federal level have substantial influence on our society, decrease in voter turnout is not a new trend. The average voting rate in the 2012 presidential election was 58.2 percent, and Nebraska alone had an estimated turnout 41.3 percent in the 2014 midterm election, according to The New

York Times.

Despite the drastic influence municipalities have directly on their citizens, voter participation in local elections is even less than the already dismal attendence for national elections. Research done by the University of Wisconsin on 144 U.S. cities reported an average of less than 21 percent voter turnout in 2011, according to Governing.com.

Many citizens, myself included, pay more attention to national politics than to local affairs, which seems justified considering the power of federal government. Yet, as powerful as it is, dramatic policy change is rare because the immense size of the United States limits the capability to change and enforce laws in a timely fashion.

This does not mean it is justified, but that is the reality in our country. If we truly want to have a say in government and see changes made, we need to start following and participating in local elections and affairs.

Even if you are not from a large city like Omaha, the power of each municipality should not be overlooked — it is small coalitions like these that originally formed

the nation.

The vastness of the United States inhibits the federal government from maintaining the country efficiently; emphasizing the importance of municipalities to enact change the people want to see and uphold the Constitution. Though city elections may seem insignificant, they are the key to ensuring that America is a nation not only for the people, but by the people.