Don’t Sleep on Local Elections! Reasons to vote in the May 4 Primary

Written by Ioanna Paraskevopoulos and Hilly Kenkel from Action Tank USA 

Local elections are important. They select the future leaders of our city and county, establish important legislation, and are a way to make your voice heard in the government that represents you.  

Cincinnati think tank Action Tank has released a nonpartisan, informed voter guide specifically tailored for Cincinnati’s primary election May 4, 2021. Action Tank is making this information available for the primary election in part to raise awareness that a local election is happening in early May.  

Why Vote?  

Historically, local primary elections have very low turnout in Cincinnati. In the last “off-year” local primary in 2017, just 15 percent of eligible voters showed up to the polls.  

Action Tank and other civic groups would love to see this number increase in 2021 because the stakes are higher than most voters may realize. As the city undertakes efforts to recover from COVID-19’s economic impact, faces a mounting affordable housing crisis, and endeavors to restore trust in local government after the indictments of three council members on federal corruption charges, the outcome of the mayoral primary and local issues on the ballot will impact the city’s approach to these issues for years.  

Helpful Resources  

Action Tank’s Civic Health First Aid Kit contains explanations on all of these issues. The kit is free to download from Action Tank’s website, and is available on the Library’s Voting Information page. 

Would you prefer to print Action Tank's voter guide? Visit a library location to print the guide for free. 

The First Aid Kit features a discussion guide designed to prompt thoughtful conversations about readers’ values on topics such as public safety, ethics in government, public health, and community engagement. The Civic Health First Aid Kit also includes a policy guide with brief explainers about different powers and responsibilities held by the mayor of Cincinnati that directly impacts our communities.  

Action Tank believes that the kit supports the productive conversations that are essential to educating Cincinnati residents about the candidates and issues on the primary ballot and inspiring them to vote. It includes original artwork from Noah Hawes of Elementz and Yusef Quotah.  

Visit Action Tank’s website to learn more. For comprehensive voting information and resources, visit the Library’s voting webpage.