Not only do they work precinct lists - and a group of people active in the 'machine' is all that is needed to keep these people in office.....
...but attached to each person is a $60,000, $80,000 and in some cases, $100,000 jobs.
If the person elected doesn't get that salary, the person elected has access to the budgetary decisions and who gets hired and who doesn't.
So - the election that gets no turnout, is the one that plays a big role in whom our communities are going to shell out major dollars for civil service salaries... they will be the decision makers how property and sales taxes will be spent....
...and people only worry about the elections of people far away.