Were Oklahoma’s local elections better when they were partisan? I’d argue no

As Oklahoma’s Legislature debates several bills aimed at making municipal and school board elections partisan, we must pause and ask: were local elections better when they were partisan?

The answer is a resounding no.

Partisanship has no place in local governance, where collaboration and community-focused problem-solving should take precedence over divisive party politics.

Local elections have long stood apart from the bitter polarization that plagues state and federal politics. These elections are about addressing the concerns closest to home — repairing roads, ensuring safe schools, and making neighborhoods better places to live. The people running for these offices are often our friends and neighbors. They are the parents we see at PTA meetings, the fellow worshippers we greet at church, and the friendly faces we encounter at the grocery store or post office. These are individuals invested in their communities, not career politicians pushing a national party agenda.

Partisan elections risk changing all of that.

By slapping a party label on candidates for local office, we force them into ideological boxes that may not align with the practical needs of their constituents. Instead of prioritizing the best solutions, elected officials might feel pressured to toe the party line. This shift has already harmed governance at higher levels. National and state politics have become increasingly gridlocked as partisanship intensifies, leaving little room for compromise or common sense. Why invite this dysfunction into local elections?

The growing polarization in politics has already demonstrated how dangerous partisanship can be.

On issues like health care, education, and infrastructure, partisan elected officials often ignore the will of the people to cater to their party’s base. Local officials, by contrast, tend to be more attuned to their constituents’ needs precisely because they operate outside this framework. A mayor doesn’t need to know if the potholes on your street lean left or right; they just need to fix them.

Making local elections partisan would also discourage participation. Candidates who might otherwise run to serve their community could be deterred by the prospect of being labeled with a political affiliation that could alienate half their neighbors. Similarly, voters may feel disillusioned if they believe their local ballot is just an extension of the national political battlefield. This erosion of civic engagement weakens the very foundation of democracy.

The beauty of nonpartisan local elections is their ability to transcend labels and focus on what matters most — solutions. Instead of seeing red or blue, we see our communities as they are: diverse, vibrant, and united by shared challenges and goals.

Our friends and neighbors deserve leaders who listen to their voices, not partisan puppets. Local governance works best when it’s nonpartisan. Let’s hope our leaders have sense enough to keep it that way.