Honestly, I think child care fee subsidy totally changes how people see local politicians. Like, my cousin got help with her daycare bills through a city program, and she straight-up said she only voted for the mayor who promised to keep the subsidy. When you’re dealing with crazy expensive daycare, and someone offers real help, that sticks with you, and you wanna support them.

But it’s also weird because people who don’t need it might feel left out and vote for someone who promises to cut the program or spend money elsewhere. My neighbor was mad that her property tax went up, and she blamed all the subsidy programs for it.

So yeah, I think these programs can totally swing elections, at least in smaller cities. It becomes one of those things you argue about with your friends and parents when elections roll around. Some people want more subsidies for everyone, others want them gone. Either way, politicians know it’s a hot topic, and they use it to get votes. I’ve noticed campaigns focusing way more on this stuff in recent years, especially since everyone’s dealing with higher costs.