Whether you’re passionate about police reform and public safety or access to affordable housing and public transportation, or you just want to drive on smoother roads and see better local infrastructure, the March 2 city council and mayoral elections will affect the daily lives of every Chattanoogan.
Yet, statistically, fewer than 1 in 5 registered voters will actually participate in the selection of the city’s new leadership.
Nathan Bird, a local civil engineer and host of Chattanooga Civics, a new podcast focused on explaining local government, cast his early vote this weekend.
“Local government is the closest to the people that it’s supposed to be serving. You have the most direct voice in local government,” Bird told the Times Free Press Wednesday, when asked about his participation in the election.
Participating in local elections and city government as a whole has become a passion of Bird’s, he said, due to the proximity of local elected officials to the issues that affect his daily life.