The Advocacy Advantage Hiding in Plain Sight

Local government leaders are often overlooked as partners in advocacy. Here's why they shouldn't be—and how organizations can harness their influence to drive meaningful policy change.

When organizations set out to influence public policy—whether in health care, education, economic development, or any number of other issues—they usually focus on the statehouse. They build relationships with lawmakers, connect with agency leaders, and engage lobbyists or consultants to make their case.

But there’s one group they often overlook: local elected officials.

That’s a missed opportunity. Local leaders often have long-standing, trusted relationships with state legislators. They’re respected voices in their communities who understand how policy decisions play out in real life. When they speak, lawmakers listen—because they’re peers, not outsiders.

As a county commissioner and former state legislator, I’ve seen how policies crafted in Columbus or Washington, D.C. can land very differently at the local level. Local leaders aren’t just tasked with implementation—we live with the results. We see what’s working and what’s not. And because of our credibility and proximity, we’re often in a position to elevate those realities to the people making decisions.

Through my work with the County Commissioners Association of Ohio (CCAO), I regularly collaborate with local officials to shape state policy. In my national role with the National Association of Counties (NACo), I’ve watched county commissioners from across the country influence federal decisions by sharing lived experience and speaking to what their communities actually need.

These conversations aren’t about politics—they’re about impact.

Take child care, for example. Long before it became a national policy conversation, local leaders were already hearing from families who couldn’t find care or couldn’t afford it. We were seeing jobseekers sidelined because they had no safe place to leave their children. We were hearing from businesses struggling to hire. And we were dealing with the consequences—strained public programs, lost economic opportunity, and missed chances to help children thrive.

That’s why local leaders should be at the policy table from the very beginning—not as an afterthought, but as true partners.

If your organization is working to shape policy, it’s worth asking whether your strategy includes local voices—not just as stakeholders, but as credible messengers who may already have the ear of the people you’re trying to reach.

The most effective advocacy strategies I’ve seen are the ones that understand and activate this influence. Local officials bring something rare: practical insight, proximity to the problem, and relationships that move the needle.

If this perspective resonates, and you're thinking about how to better integrate local leadership into your strategy, I’m always glad to have that conversation. It’s work I care deeply about—because I’ve seen firsthand just how much it matters.

---

~ Shannon Jones, Founder & Strategist, On Key Strategies