Piqua's Bad Week Got Worse
Vol. III, No. 160 - Only 14% of eligible voters cast ballots in a consequential race
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The Piqua community had a rough week. Yet if you viewed Monday’s City Commission meeting as the low point — a rushed affair to greenlight a series of resolutions welcoming a data center — you might be mistaken. The real disappointment came a day later, when voters had their say in Tuesday’s election. Or rather, when they mostly didn’t.
Piqua faced a competitive race for an open seat on its five-member City Commission, the sort of contest that should stir a sense of civic duty. But instead of showing up, most stayed home. Across Miami County, turnout averaged 24 percent, which isn’t exactly cause for celebration but at least suggests mild participation. In Piqua, turnout sank to 14 percent. In some precincts, barely one in ten eligible voters cast a ballot. In two precincts, turnout crept above 20 percent, a lonely exception that proves the rule.
This indifference comes despite years of local controversy. The city has been at the center of a battery burn dispute that led to litigation. It has paid residents to settle claims over violations of constitutional rights. A rebranding campaign fizzled without effect. And this week’s hurried data center approval, pushed through with little transparency, only deepened public skepticism. These are the sort of missteps that, in most places, would fuel higher participation, not breed stagnation. Voters might be expected to demand more from their leaders. But in Piqua, the collective shrug continues.
Spend any time talking to residents and the conversation inevitably turns south — to Troy. Piqua’s comparative mindset is relentless. The tone, often, is not admiration but resentment. Why does Troy seem to have the better restaurants, the thriving downtown, the bigger crowds? Why does the energy there feel different?
The truth is, the two communities are more alike than residents might think. Their populations are similar in size, age, and income. Yet one trait separates them meaningfully: civic participation. Troy actively votes; Piqua remains complacent. The pattern is consistent. And perhaps it isn’t coincidence that the places with higher engagement often show stronger momentum in nearly every other measurable way — growth, opportunity, and confidence about the future.
Low voter turnout doesn’t just reflect apathy; it reinforces it. When only a fraction of citizens participate, power concentrates. Politicians, aware that few are watching, become complacent. They don’t have to visit every neighborhood, knock on every door, or listen to unfamiliar voices. Their electorate is predictable, their odds manageable. The smaller the voting pool, the safer the incumbent. A quiet electorate suits them just fine.
It’s often said that voting has never been easier. Ballots can be cast early, sent by mail, or cast in person at a local precinct on Election Day with minimal effort. Yet ease of access doesn’t translate to habit or motivation. Fourteen percent participation in a municipal election — one with real implications for leadership and direction — suggests not convenience but disconnection. It’s a sign of a community that has given up expecting better.
None of this will be fixed by another big civic initative. A billion-dollar data center might generate headlines and promise jobs, but it won’t repair civic disengagement. The responsibility lies with residents, not politicians, not breaucrats, not consultants. Voting is the simplest expression of care for one’s city. Skipping it is the clearest signal of surrender.
When Piqua residents look south and wonder why their city can’t seem to catch up, it may be worth facing an uncomfortable truth. Civic health isn’t about envy or image. It begins, always, with participation. The ballot box is where communities declare what they value. This week, Piqua stayed silent. And silence, as ever, speaks volumes.
A New Handbook to grow Civic Capacity!
Recently, we created a new digital handbook, “The Citizen’s Guide to Public Records”. This handbook is designed to help residents have a better understanding of public meetings and meeting records. It’s filled with templates, ideas and other information that will open a new world of public affairs.
Also, if you have ideas for future handbooks, please let us know at pinnaclestrategiesltd@gmail.com.
Want to Learn More About Troy’s Businesses?
Our publication has recently released our September 2025 Economic Abstract, the most comprehensive and up-to-date report on the businesses and industries in the City of Troy. For those that want to understand our community’s business and industries, this is a must-have report.
Thank you to our New Media Partners!
Recently, many of our stories has been showing up on the local news website, www.mymiamicounty.com. We are grateful for the good folks for sharing our work with their audience and we would encourage our readers to check them out at their website!
Our publication would also like to recognize the good work being done at www.piquanewsnow.com. Piqua News Now is a new web-based news and information site for the Miami County area, with a specific focus on Piqua!
In addition, the good folks at Piqua News Now have started a new, 24-hour streaming YouTube channel. This channel is awesome with continuous weather updates and more importanly, it provides a 24-hour audio feed from county wide dispatch. Check it out here!
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