> but how does Hacker News come to you?

Submissions by other users come to me through HN. I don't have to search through dates, topics, countries, etc. I just click enter and it all comes to me.

> How does local election info come to you?

I get emails about it for my state, I get physical mail from my state, I get emails about it from my employer, I hear friends/family/coworkers talk about it, I see signs out and about.

Not being flippant, but just because these things don't happen to you doesn't mean they don't happen to anyone. I even learned about some recall election in CA while on vacation there that I made zero effort to learn about. I just saw billboards, flyers in grocery stores, etc.