Chances are, when you discuss politics with your friends or family, you focus on those issues that relate to the entire nation. You might discuss what Ted Cruz' recent dropout means for Donald Trump's campaign, or how Senator Sanders' most recent win in the Indiana primary gives him momentum going forward into the final months of the primary season. But, I'm guessing that you tend to neglect those issues which pertain only to your local community, or even your state.

Now, I don't intend to generalize too broadly, but I believe that when I say us millennials need to get more involved in local politics, I speak of a matter of crucial importance. I wholeheartedly feel that our generation needs to not only take more interest, but also take more action in local political affairs, and here's why:

First, local politics can affect you just as much, or even more, than national politics. Yes, the presidential election's outcome could set a new direction for our country, but your local elections have a direct impact on the place in which you live. Let me ask, which would affect you more? A Senate bill sponsoring tougher penalties for federal crimes, or a local ordinance establishing a nighttime curfew with strict penalties? A House bill cutting funding for interstate highways, or a local law slashing funding for your town's roads and sidewalks? A federal increase of the income tax, or a state increase of the sales tax by the same percentage? You see, your local government has a larger impact on your life precisely because it controls the areas and has jurisdiction over the issues that impact you more directly. So even if local politics may seem boring, they're too important for you NOT to take an interest in them.

In my hometown of Chelmsford, I know this reality all too well. Last year, our school system ran into a serious budget deficit as a result of accounting errors that were covered up. The administration tried to lay off several faculty to cover the shortfall, ignoring their labour contracts. The whole issue spilled over into town finances and legal issues, and had some serious consequences, namely, reduced funding for our school system and even the town as a whole. This arguably affected us more than any national politics at the time.

In addition, our generation is seriously underrepresented in politics, and this only gets worse at the local level. I'm sad to say that in my town, I have only ever met a handful of people of my age that were even aware of political issues in our local community. This is something that should absolutely change. Obviously, it can be difficult to take an interest in local matters when you're busy with high school, college, or work; in terms of running for any kind of office, it can be practically impossible given the plethora of older adults who have far more experience and wisdom. But if we do not take an interest, we effectively surrender our voice in what goes on around us. If we ignore local politics, it sends a message to our politicians that we don't care, and worse, that we don't matter.

But here's the good news: there's a lot you can do to get involved, and it doesn't necessarily take much. The easiest way to stay informed of what's going on is to read the local news, and many can be read online for free. But if you really want to know what's happening, you can attend your town's representative meetings and other committee hearings, which sounds pretty boring, but can be extremely informative. And if you don't have the time for that, a lot of towns (like mine) make their meeting notes and recordings available on the internet and keep updated websites full of local events.

Beyond just knowing what's happening, there are also plenty of ways to take action. The most important thing you can do is vote! Our generation tends to be very underrepresented when it comes to this most fundamental American right: for example, according to Kei Kawashima-Ginsberg, a researcher at Tufts, only 19.9 percent of 18-29 year olds voted in the 2014 midterm elections. So get out and register to vote, and participate in as many state, local, and national elections as you can! In addition to voting, it's also imperative that you show up at your town meetings, which are almost always open to the public, and voice your opinions. After all, how can anyone know how you feel if you don't speak up? And don't forget that you can always contact your local politicians privately if you don't feel comfortable speaking in public.

Ultimately, whether or not you get more involved in local politics is up to you. But I implore you to take more interest, because believe it or not, your involvement CAN make a difference in what goes on around you, something which is crucial for our generation.