Today is Election Day, which in lieu of a major federal or state election may not be terribly important to traditionally apathetic student voters. But students, as residents of Boston temporarily or permanently, should take note, as today’s City Council elections are, in many cases, more important for them than any other. Although many students have already made the decision whether to vote in these elections, it is important that everyone realize how who their city councilor is affects their day-to-day life in more ways than they potentially realize.

While ‘Rock the Vote’ urgency and ubiquitous criticism of student voter apathy seem more and more tired every year, potential student voters are simply not participating in this important process, to the point where many candidates for the Boston City Council do not even bother to court their vote because they know, or at least suspect, that it will make no difference in the outcome of the election. City councilors are able to affect everything from parking fees, pollution and smoking bans to, as City Councilor Mike Ross (Fenway, Back Bay) recently did, legislation dealing with prescription drug costs. Their contributions are valuable, and because they represent small voting blocs compared to higher-tiered politicians, there is really no reason that local voters should not be interested in who sits in their offices. Their involvement is especially pertinent to students who live off campus and are subject to many Boston city not BU policies and regulations.

These elected officials are also not only more approachable and easily accessed than politicians in higher places, they are also the ideal conduits for individual citizens to have their opinions heard on more prominent political stages. The student voting population in Boston must have more of an effect in these local elections, and students should make educated voting choices just as candidates should not rule out the student vote just because of fears of low turnout. While it is true that many apolitical voters only care about a major issue when it is right in their backyard, many also fail to realize that city councilors are the officials who make decisions about that backyard.