Election Day is Tuesday, and it’s time to make a plan so that your vote gets counted. Too often, people skip their local elections, believing they are less important than national and state contests. Nothing could be further from the truth. Unlike state and national elections, local elections have much more impact on the quality of your daily life. Here’s why everyone should make the effort to come out and vote on Tuesday, Nov. 5, in your city or town’s local election.

• It’s all about you. No, really it is. The people you’re voting for in a local election: mayors, selectmen, councilors, boards of finance, education, planning and zoning — these people are the ones who determine the quality of your neighborhood, schools, roads, where buildings will be built, how your water and land will be used or protected and, most importantly, how your taxes will be spent.

• It’s about access and accountability. The local candidates vying for these positions are your neighbors and are more interested in your concerns than state and national politicians who must focus on bigger-picture issues.

• It’s about progress. Local policy can lead to change at the state and national level. Big issues like gun safety, the minimum wage and civil rights started as concerns at the local level.

• It’s about the future. Many state and national candidates begin their careers on local boards, so, who knows, the councilor that you help elect today could be tomorrow’s senator, or even president!

Your vote is your voice, don’t waste it by missing an election. Make it a habit to vote every year in every election. If you need more information about the candidates, check out the election coverage here in The Day or on theday.com, visit town websites, or contact the candidates and ask their opinions on the issues that count for you.

Irene Weiss is the president of the League of Women Voters of Southeastern Connecticut, a nonpartisan, nonprofit organization that advocates for voter participation and an informed electorate.