The upcoming local body polls are special for Rajendra Naik, a plywood worker from Kandhamal, Odisha. He will vote for the first time in Ward 5 of Vazhakkulam panchayat near Perumbavoor, where he now lives with his wife and two daughters. He moved his voter registration from Kollam district, where his wife is from, after settling in Vazhakkulam. Rajendra has never been listed as a voter in his home district since he moved to Kerala in 2001 as a minor. Kanak Mondal, a domestic helper from Balasore, Odisha, has voted in several elections since moving to Kerala in 2006. She now lives in a house built with local support near Vyttila and votes in Ward 3 of Maradu municipality. She says, “Political parties hardly matter. I will vote for the candidate who helps us and who I feel is a good person.” C. Ponraj, 52, came from Tamil Nadu to Kochi as a toddler. He is a voter in the Vathuruthy division, a hub with many Tamil migrant workers. Ponraj works with migrant labourers and has managed booth-level electoral tasks. He explains that many migrants in Kerala face confusion about where to keep their voter registration, often choosing based on property ownership at home. Voting in his area often divides along union lines. Experts like Benoy Peter from the Centre for Migration and Inclusive Development note a shift in migration patterns. With Kerala’s population growth slowing and many locals moving abroad, migrants are now more likely to settle permanently in Kerala. This trend opens new job opportunities, especially for migrant women, and better education for their children. Ernakulam district hosts many migrants, mainly from Tamil Nadu, Odisha, West Bengal, and Assam, reflecting Kerala’s changing social and political landscape.