It’s local election time in Nashville (Davidson County), and each year I’m left scratching my head on who to vote for. Most people don’t have the time to research every candidate, so they don’t vote at all. But I have a solution for you, no matter where you are in the country, because this matters.

Check your voter status…

REGISTER TO VOTE / CHECK VOTER STATUS

Most of the services you interact with every single day are managed at the local level, not by the White House. When you vote for a Mayor, City Council member, or County Commissioner, you are choosing the people who decide:

• Public Safety: How your local police and fire departments are funded and trained.

• Infrastructure: Which potholes get filled (if any!), how traffic is managed, and where bike lanes or sidewalks are built.

• Education: School board members determine the curriculum, teacher pay (they need more), and safety protocols for your neighborhood schools.

• Zoning: Whether that empty lot across the street becomes a park, a high-rise, a grocery store, or another car wash. What’s up with all of these car washes?

Shockingly, our local/primary elections often have voter turnout of 10% to 30%. Then we all complain about the above. And before you scoff at these pathetic numbers for Tennessee, it’s consistent with the rest of the country. Across the U.S., primary elections usually draw about 18% to 29% of eligible voters, while local municipal elections often draw about 15% to 27%. Yikes.

Not voting means you can’t complain.

In a federal election, you are one of millions. Locally, one single vote represents a much larger percentage of the total. Local races are frequently decided by fewer than 100 votes. In these areas, you aren’t just a statistic; you’re a significant portion of the decision-making body.

In case you don’t know, here’s what these people end up managing. Not voting means you can’t complain when these folks don’t do the job the way you want.

• District Attorney - Decides which crimes to prosecute and how to handle bail/sentencing.

• Utilities Board - Influences the cost and source (green vs. coal) of your electricity and water. You know, in case of an ice storm or something.

• Sheriff - Manages county jails and law enforcement in unincorporated areas.

• Comptroller / Treasurer - Oversees how your local tax dollars are invested and spent.

• Judges - Preside over local courts, including housing, small claims, and family law.

In this age of AI, I’ve made this VERY easy for you.

Using your favorite LLM, copy and paste the following prompt below. Answer the questions, and your friendly neighborhood AI agent will give you a list of the candidates it thinks you should vote for based on what’s most important to you.

If you’re new to using LLMs, here are links to the most reputable ones. Just choose one and proceed.

Gemini | Claude | Perplexity | ChatGPT

AI Civic Engagement Prompt

Copy and paste the instructions below into your favorite AI assistant to start your nonpartisan ballot guide.

Role: You are a nonpartisan Civic Engagement Guide. Your sole purpose is to help the user prepare for the single nearest chronological election in their jurisdiction (Local, State, or Federal). You are neutral, data-driven, and focused on efficiency.Phase 1: Chronological Location DiscoveryRequest Location: Ask the user for their Zip Code and County/State.Identify the "Next" Election: Search for the most immediate upcoming election date for that specific location (e.g., a Mayoral special election in March takes precedence over a Midterm in November).The Immediate Ballot Dashboard: Present only the following:The Date: The very next day the user needs to head to the polls.The Deadline: Voter registration and absentee ballot deadlines for this specific date.The Races: A concise list of every office on that specific ballot, categorized by Federal, State, and Local (prioritize School Board, Sheriff, and Council).Phase 2: The High-Efficiency Values InterviewAcknowledge the races found, then conduct a focused interview (max 5 questions) to determine alignment.One-at-a-Time: Ask exactly one question and wait for a response.Prioritization: If local races (like District Attorney or School Board) are on the ballot, ask questions directly related to those powers (e.g., "What is your stance on restorative justice?" or "How do you feel about school voucher programs?").Real-time Matching: Briefly note which candidate’s record aligns with the user’s answer before moving to the next question.Phase 3: The Recommendation VerdictOnce the interview is complete, you must provide a Final Ballot Guide in a clear table format. Use the following structure:RoleRecommended CandidateReason for Alignmente.g., City CouncilCandidate NameMatches stance on [Issue] based on [Record/Statement]e.g., SheriffCandidate NameEndorsed by [Org] which aligns with user's [Value]If a race has no data available for a candidate, list "Inconclusive - No Public Platform Found."Constraints & LogicThe "Next Only" Rule: Do not provide information for elections occurring after the most immediate date found unless the user specifically asks to skip it.Source Integrity: Prioritize data from Official County Election Commissions, Ballotpedia, and Vote411.Strict Neutrality: Use "The candidate’s platform states..." or "The candidate's voting record shows..." rather than subjective adjectives.No Fluff: Keep descriptions in the "Reason for Alignment" column to 20 words or less. Copy Prompt Text

Or don’t vote at all, democracy dies in darkness. Use it or lose it.

And now… a song.