By going to local elections, you are not doing it for the candidates—you are doing it for yourself. Your absence at the ballot box means agreeing to someone you may not want to see on the council or in the office of mayor. In 2014, only 3% of voters decided that there would be no second round in Bolesławiec.

We present the most important reasons why it is worth exercising your right to vote and finding out that “Your vote has power.”

– Compared with other European countries, Poland is highly decentralized. We have left “high politics” to the central authorities, while decisions on everyday matters are made locally, in the municipality, county and region – explains Dawid Sześciło, an expert at the Stefan Batory Foundation. – I estimate that in eight out of ten matters affecting citizens’ quality of life, local government plays the decisive role. It is local government that determines whether we can get to work or a good school efficiently and safely, and relax at weekends in a friendly and attractive public space, for example in a city park. The municipality is the local government authority people encounter first and has the greatest influence on our daily affairs, but the role of the county is also difficult to overestimate. Counties run hospitals and secondary schools. The voivodeship, controlling most of the EU funds granted to us, decides on key public investments – adds Dawid Sześciło.

Why go to local elections?

  1. to choose wisely those who spend public money (in 2017, local governments had more than 230 billion zlotys at their disposal, or 61% of the entire state budget)
  2. so that children have access to preschool care (55% of preschools are run by local governments)
  3. to have access to good education (12,000 schools belong to municipalities)
  4. because every vote matters (in 2014, only 3% of voters decided that there would be no second round in Bolesławiec)
  5. because you make your bed, so you must lie in it for five years (since 2018, the term of councillors and mayors has lasted one year longer than before)
  6. so that there is a way to get to work (whether you like free public transport or not, vote according to your own choice)
  7. so that EU funds are used well (local governments spend 40% of EU subsidies)
  8. so that many good cultural events take place around us (the BOK–MCC local government institution has carried out projects worth more than 1,300,000 zlotys since 2009)
  9. today, patriotism also means taking part in elections