You've likely heard the saying "all politics is local." But here's the hitch. For many local offices, there's often just one candidate running in a race. Sometimes, nobody's running at all. In 2022, 67 percent of races went uncontested. That's according to the nonpartisan research organization BallotReady.

That not only leaves voters with a lack of choice, but also raises questions about how and where we choose to live and who influences local policies.

We discuss uncontested races and why they matter.

Want to support 1A? Give to your local public radio station and subscribe to this podcast. Have questions? Connect with us. Listen to 1A sponsor-free by signing up for 1A+ at plus.npr.org/the1a.

Learn more about sponsor message choices: podcastchoices.com/adchoices

NPR Privacy Policy