Early voting for the May 6 local elections starts Monday and is open until May 2.

AP Government teacher Amanda Peters thinks early voting is a nice thing for convenience and helps ensure that people cast their votes.

“You never know what your schedule’s gonna be like the day of the election on May 6th,” Peters said. “So if you can make sure that you’ve voted early, then you should do it soon.”

For senior Tulsi Rampalli, the elections in her own local community are what make a direct impact.

“It’s important to vote in local elections to engage with your community and contribute your own opinions in decision-making that will likely impact yourself, your friends, and your family,” senior Tulsi Rampalli said.

When voting, senior Srividya Nalladdhighal considers whether the candidates’ perspectives align with her own.

“I guess I pay attention to what their perspectives are on specific issues that matter to me, like LGBTQ issues or women’s rights and things like that,” Nalladdhighal said. “So if they’re working to advance those then I would probably consider that as a factor voting for them.”

While the midterm and national elections get a lot of media attention, for Peters, these city council, mayoral, and school board elections are just as important.

“It’s important for students to vote because this is your opportunity to contribute to your community,” Peters said. “Our local elections are what are going to impact the citizens of Frisco the most.”