Despite declining levels of trust in the federal government, public confidence in local government has remained stable over the past three decades. Americans trust their local governments more than their state governments and the federal government. Moreover, Americans also think the quality of candidates for political office at the local level is higher than the quality of candidates at the federal level.
Mayor Pete Buttigieg, the youngest mayor of a city of over 100,00 residents, sees this trust as one of the key reasons for local government’s importance today. In an interview with the HPR, Buttigieg noted that “the hidden power of local government is just beginning to be better understood.” Buttigieg’s impact in his hometown, South Bend, Indiana, as its mayor shows that in an era of political polarization and governmental distrust, local governments can affect positive change. They can make improvements both in their own localities and around the country more effectively than the federal government.
Heading Home
As frustration with the federal government grows, increasing numbers of qualified candidates and political newcomers are running for local office. Before going back to his hometown, Buttigieg was a student at Harvard University, a Rhodes scholar, a political consultant in Washington, and a consultant at McKinsey. Given this impressive background, Buttigieg knows that people were surprised when he decided to go home, but he noted that as an undergraduate he began to realize that he was “more attached to home” than he thought he would be. “Everyone in public service has a different story, but I think that moment of deciding to go home is a really important one for a lot of people,” he said.
Buttigieg isn’t the only qualified candidate making positive changes at the local level. He mentioned that several of his undergraduate friends also chose to go back to their hometowns, saying that “people went home to unglamorous places and did really important and good work.” The United States is seeing a record number of candidates running for political office, especially young candidates and women. This increase in candidates makes local elections more competitive and gives voters more options when electing local leaders. This means increasing numbers of qualified leaders are assuming local office and effecting change from the local level.
Reconciling Ideological Differences
Buttigieg is a liberal mayor in a conservative state, and he acknowledges that this is a challenge. “It’s a very socially conservative place, even in a more Democratic area like mine.” He’s found, however, that local government provides the opportunity to move beyond ideology and party politics. “People can’t assume who you are based on the ‘D’ or ‘R’ next to your name, the way they do in Congress, and mayors of different parties like each other.”
Buttigieg is not a particularly conservative Democrat. He’s the first openly LGBT executive official in Indiana. Moreover, he made a bid for the chair of the Democratic National Convention. Despite this, Buttigieg mentioned that many Republicans have crossed the aisle to vote for him. In working with people who don’t always agree with all of his ideals, Buttigieg emphasized the importance of finding common ground. “It’s not about moving to the middle. It’s about communicating in an inclusive way, so that people who come from somewhere else can still see something of themselves in you. There’s more of a reward for that than you would think, and that’s been my experience in South Bend.” One study found that U.S. local government is less politically polarized than the state or federal government. Furthermore, many U.S. cities conduct nonpartisan elections for local positions. The majority of the 100 largest American cities use nonpartisan elections, limiting the role of party politics in the election process altogether. Because local governments are able to move past partisan politics, local officials can more easily work together to implement legislation.
Beyond Local Impact
South Bend is a mid-sized city in northern Indiana. It’s population peaked in the 1960s but began to shrink when Studebaker, an American automobile manufacturer based in South Bend, went out of business. After decades of decline, South Bend’s population is starting to grow again, largely due to revitalization projects Buttigieg has tackled during his time as mayor. For instance, the Vacant and Abandoned Properties Initiative aimed to demolish or repair 1,000 houses over a period of 1,000 days. The project took place from 2013 to 2015, and the city accomplished its goal.
Certainly, the Vacant and Abandoned Properties Initiative had a positive impact in South Bend, but it has also had wider reaching effects. “A lot of cities are looking at what we’re doing with housing policy. We show that small cities can do this too,” Buttigieg said. For instance, a mayoral candidate in Erie, Minnesota created a “1,000 in 1,000” proposal modeled after South Bend’s initiative. Buttigieg noted that there is “increasingly a community of cities that learn from each other,” meaning that policy decisions in one town can have nationwide influence.
Local Officials in National Politics
With growing opportunities to make a large impact from the local level, local positions offer a good place for politicians to grow their leadership skills before moving to a higher level of government. Buttigieg’s second term as mayor is up in 2019, and in regards to his own future in politics, Buttigieg remains open to all possibilities. There will be an Indiana gubernatorial election in 2020, and Buttigieg has also been mentioned as a possible presidential candidate. “Every great political opportunity, including running for mayor and chair of the DNC, came as a surprise, so I try to stay open about different opportunities to serve,” he said. In considering the impact he wants to have in the future, Buttigieg said that he has found executive leadership to be very “demanding, compelling, and rewarding.”
Buttigieg is not the only mayor considering a bid for the White House. The mayor of Los Angeles, Eric Garcetti, is one of several mayors being talked about as a potential candidate. No politician has ever made the jump from mayor to president, and the last president who was mayor at any point of his career was Grover Cleveland. However, with the growing impact and visibility that mayors have now, someone could very possibly make history in the near future.
The growing connections between cities and the less partisan nature of local government are allowing cities and towns throughout the United States to have a larger impact than ever before. If mayors around the nation capitalize on their ability to connect with constituents, the power of local government will continue to grow and give city officials like Buttigieg the opportunity to have an impact at the national level.
Image Credit: Wikimedia Commons/Tysto // Flickr/Edward Kimmel