Why does your voting matter?

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Voting in civic institutions like the KAV matters because it strengthens democracy, inclusion and fairness, especially for people of immigrant background. People who come together and elect representatives contribute to:

• Bring community issues directly into political conversations
   
• Influence local policy affecting education, work, housing, integration and anti-discrimination
   
• Make sure decisions about services and programs reflect lived experiences
   
• Strengthen dialogue between immigrant communities and local government
   

In Hessen, the network of Ausländerbeiräte has shown that when communities are represented, municipal integration efforts work better and disparities decrease.