New Hampshire has 221 towns, and they all hold elections for their town governments every year. But what even gets decided at the town level? Why do we care about town offices when there’s so much to be done at the state level?

This fall, 12 of New Hampshire’s 13 cities will hold municipal elections for important local positions like mayor, aldermen, city councilors, school board, local election officials and more.

Every year, hundreds of important local positions are filled not by election, but by appointment. If you’ve ever thought about getting involved and making a real impact in your community, serving on a local board, commission, or committee might be the perfect place to start, and no campaign signs required.