Turnout likely to be major factor in Valley Stream election

The final tally of next week’s election for the seats of mayor and two trustees will have a lot to do with how many residents cast a vote.

“Local elections, particularly ones held at different times than national or state elections are typically held, obviously have much lower turnout than elections for national or even state offices,” said Rosanna Perotti, chair of Hofstra University’s political science department. “That magnifies everything. It makes it a much bigger deal, because each vote carries so much more weight.”

That low turnout is often a result of either ignorance or apathy, according to Perotti. Unlike national or state elections, which are held in November and accompanied by a barrage of political advertisements, local voters often do not know the major issues being debated in a campaign or who the candidates are, and are sometimes unaware of the election altogether.

As a result, she said, most ballots cast in local elections are cast by those who are extraordinarily passionate about local politics, which can have a big impact on the results of an election.

“The people that make these decisions are the ones that are extremely politically active,” she explained, “and they think differently than a lot of people do, which can lead to election results that don’t really tell the full story of a community. But when turnout is high, those tend to be the most entertaining elections, and the most representative of what everyday people in the area really want. The election isn’t decided by those who are hyper-involved in local politics. It’s decided by the everyday residents of the village.”

Recent trends suggest that Valley Stream residents and political observers may see a well-represented electorate next week. Perotti said an uptick in turnout is often a sign of an issue or candidate that divides and motivates voters.

“If there is a polarizing element or a strong local connection, that will become the election’s focus,” she said. “If there is one controversy or one project that is up for debate, a candidate’s stance on that one area can sway an election.”