There’s no presidential race on the ballot this November, but that’s no excuse to skip the polls.

Voting in local elections matters. Local school boards, councils and supervisors make decisions that affect our immediate lives — often more directly than the decisions that come from the state and national level.

For instance, an ordinance passed in Franklin Township earlier this year caused quite a commotion among township residents.

The ordinance enacted a noise regulation against any sound exceeding 60 decibels, which residents said makes activities such as shooting or working with tools illegal.

The ordinance also declared it unlawful to have more than five mechanical equipment pieces in public view or to store a junk vehicle in plain view on public or private property.

About 200 people showed up for the nearly two-hour long meeting in August to speak about how their lives would be impacted by the ordinance.

Supervisors ultimately passed the ordinance in a 2-1 vote.

At that time, supervisor chairman Herman Bauer Jr. said the ordinance would not implement “sweeping change,” and was focused on handling repeat offenders.

He also said the current language of the ordinance could be amended.

Neither of two candidates competing in Tuesday’s election were Franklin Township supervisors at that time. Nathan Wulff and Keith Kaib face off in this race — a race that can have a very direct impact on the lives of Franklin Township residents. They have the potential to initiate a change.

The winner replaces Janet Gray, whose term ends Dec. 31.

Important conversations happen at the township, city and borough level. They may go largely unnoticed, but when one of those decisions doesn’t sit right with residents, it matters.

Though the Connoquenessing supervisor race is uncontested, the ongoing evaluation of the sewage system plan is a prime example of just how significantly local leadership can impact the lives of residents.

The most recent meeting prompted a move to the Connoquenessing Volunteer Fire Company fire hall to accommodate the number of people who attended. About 20 people spoke in opposition to the project, but more than 100 were in attendance.

The project was set to cost an estimated $22.5 million with a proposed $3,800 tap-in fee.

In this instance, supervisors voted to reevaluate the sewage system plan that was proposed to serve hundreds of residents in the township. The supervisors expressed intentions to speak with the Department of Environmental Protection about what changes can be made to the plan they had been working with.

Voter turnout for the May 2021 primary was 28 percent. Though low, it was significantly higher than what county solicitor Wil White expected. He had predicted 15 to 20 percent voter turnout.

A November election tends to draw more voters, but elections without a potential president’s name on the ballot rarely receive the attention they ought to.

We hope you will visit the polls Tuesday and cast your ballot.

— TAL