Historically, more voters exercise their right to vote in the Presidential election than a local election. Educator Patrick O'Connor wrote a column for the Huffington Post on the topic. Here is an excerpt, "Since these local campaigns are kind of low key, voters somehow get the impression these elections aren’t all that important — but nothing could be further from the truth. Positions on the school board, zoning commission and library board shape the quality of life and future direction of our towns — the places where we live our lives — in ways that are vastly more direct than the federal government. Obamacare certainly touches everyone’s life, but the impact of putting a cocktail lounge next to the high school is more direct, and maybe even more important.
Somehow, voters don’t see it that way, which is why over 50 percent of registered voters will turn out for a presidential election, but the turnout in a local election is usually less than 10 percent. In many cases, it can be as low as three percent. "