San Diego County voters have a lot on their ballots this year — and many of the races might be unfamiliar. Along with the more publicized races, voters will also be choosing the people they want to lead a range of local elected bodies, including community planning groups, water districts, fire protection districts and more. Many of these agencies help make decisions that impact residents’ day-to-day lives. Here’s a breakdown of what they all do and why they matter. For more on other races up and down your ballot, check out The San Diego Union-Tribune’s full voter guide. Community planning groups Nearly 20 community planning groups in San Diego County are filling seats on their boards of directors this year. But in many of these races, just one candidate is running unopposed, or there are only as many candidates as there are open seats. Community planning groups give residents a way to formally share their ideas with the local government about development projects, rezoning initiatives and other land-use decisions. A board of directors leads each group, holding regular public meetings, and helps establish the issues that matter most to each neighborhood. In the city of San Diego alone, there are 52 community planning areas, each with its own planning group — but there are dozens more across the county. Community services districts A community services district serves unincorporated areas in a county and can provide a range of resources for an area. This year, there are about 10 community services district board member races on the ballot, but they are only contested in Morro Hills and Pauma Valley. The community services district in Morro Hills maintains roads, and Pauma Valley’s district manages the area’s wastewater. Fire protection districts Fire protection districts aren’t the same as fire departments, although their role — protecting communities through fire suppression, medical services and more — is similar. Unlike fire departments, fire protection districts are independent of city governments and aren’t funded by taxes collected by city governments. Instead, they bring services to several communities or unincorporated areas and are primarily funded by property taxes from those areas. Each fire protection district is managed by a board of directors. This fall, 10 fire districts in San Diego County are holding elections for these positions. Board members typically serve four-year terms and help set district policy, manage budgets and set salaries and wages for staff. Healthcare districts Healthcare districts are public agencies that help operate hospitals and health care facilities within their jurisdiction. There are four in San Diego County, and three have board races on the ballot: Grossmont, which serves East County; Palomar, serving much of North County; and Tri-City, which serves Vista, Carlsbad and Oceanside. Each district is governed by an elected board of directors, and the role of these board members can depend on the structure of the health care system. It can range from helping lead local initiatives — such as partnering with schools to encourage students to pursue medical careers — to actually overseeing and governing hospitals to ensure policies are implemented correctly. This year, the Palomar and Tri-City board member races could have particularly meaningful impacts. In recent years, the two independent health care districts have both experienced significant financial strain, so the boards will be tasked with navigating those challenges. Water, irrigation, public utilities and wastewater districts Several entities around San Diego County deal with water, including water districts, irrigation districts, public utilities districts and wastewater districts. They’re responsible for providing and managing water and recycled water for a region, and can also provide wastewater and sewage services. You can find your district on the San Diego County Water Authority website. About a dozen water districts in San Diego County are up for board members this year, from Otay and South Bay to Lakeside and Borrego. There are also a couple of board races in the Vista Irrigation District. This year, residents can also vote for board members in the Fallbrook Public Utilities District and the Leucadia Wastewater District — but there’s only one candidate running in each race. Each district’s board of directors — typically with about five to seven members — oversees and help implement programs and policies, as well as set rates for services, taxes and more. With its semi-arid climate, San Diego County’s water supply can vary greatly from year to year. The role of these districts remains important in managing that water supply, especially in the face of impacts from climate change, including droughts, flooding and changes in precipitation and snowfall.