the.com/local politics
democracy's smallest stage, where the stakes are potholes but the shouting is national-scale.
means the governance of towns, counties, and school boards — the layer of politics closest to your actual life.
from from the greek polis (city-state), where politics originally meant exactly this scale — before empires and nations stretched the word thin.
turnout rateoften under 20 percent, even lower than national midterms
biggest budget itemusually schools or police, decided by five people
real powerzoning boards quietly shape more of your life than congress