The nation is at war, the economy is tanking, the definition of marriage will be decided, and yet 30% of registered voters will have more important things to do on Election Day than vote for the people who will be making the most important political decisions in a generation.
Elections officials are touting a big turnout -- 70%. But I'm wondering why the rest aren't engaged enough in their society to care enough to vote.
Am I being too pessimistic? Shouldn't I be happy with a 70% turnout?
Consider this: We're electing a president, and in Fresno a mayor. Voters will decide if same-sex marriages will continue to be legal in California. School board members across the Valley will be elected. There are important state propositions and local ballot measures. They've even spent $4 million in the 30th Assembly District race to get votes. In every community, there are crucial elections. Why doesn't that excite the non-voters?
I think everybody should be voting. Am I wrong?
Yes it should be 100% voter turnout but I guess some people just dont think their vote will matter much or they are not interested in the process. Some people just think they have more important things to do and those are the ones that are irresonsible in most aspects of their lives.
Re: Jim Boren
Since Americans (well Austrians, Germans et. al. ) seem to believe that democratic form of governments , miraculously, perpetuate themselves, without the participation of demos (people), I find that 70% is preferable to the around 20% I have seen in may local elections.
The "non-voters" seem not to be aware (or just don't care) that there are forces which like to maintain the status quo. There are profits to be made. I can think of two socio/economic forces that don't want a NO vote coming their way....the nuclear power industry, and the military-industrial complex, President Eisenhower warned us about, and was duly ignored by the people. Now 10 billion dollars a week are being poured into it, exposing America to an economically disastrous economic bloodletting. I could go on and on; but the bottom line is that Americans are a politically naïve lot, unlike Euros who learned by sheer need to survive. But post World War II prosperity and no wars is making them complacent too.
And what percentage of the presumed 30% "non-voters" are people without a bona fide home address without which one cannot vote. Having sent hundreds of thousands jobs abroad has created many homeless, who could be voters with a permanent residence. I feel for all people, but my main interest is not seeing e.g. Chinese attaining a high living standard, while my neighbor lost his home due to unemployment.
Full employment and a living wage is the basis of good government, of domestic tranquility. But it cannot be attained by non-voting. We the People have a job to do. If the job is not being done, we wind up with you the people.
Maybe they could combine the election with the American Idol finals. That should boost the turnout.
Some won’t have read all the issues and aren’t ready so feel it is better not to vote than to vote wrong.
Some will listen to the informal polls reported all day, see their side losing and think, why bother.
Particular states are key states needed to win an election. Once those states are in or a majority is evident in their own state, they figure their vote won’t make a difference.
Some don’t care because they don’t feel a direct connection of the election to their daily life.
Some won’t vote because they have an unexpected conflict and it was too late for a mail in vote.
Some think they are making a statement by not voting.
Some are confused or on the fence about which way to vote, they’ll just let fate decide.
Some are lazy.
My 86 year old uncle who has never missed an election in his life told me he won’t be voting this election. He doesn’t like either side and “we are going to get scr***ed no matter who wins.” I’m driving him there anyway. I’ll tell him he has to be an example for my children. That one always works.
Yes, everyone should be voting; however, there will never be 100% turnout. Seventy percent will be a good thing.
Some people forget to register, some dont know when the registration deadline is. It isnt really promoted. I know I've forgotten a couple of times. Also most people dont know you have only up to 15 days before the election to register. I know I didnt until a couple of years ago.
And then there are people whom just feel their votes to count or just dont think it matters whom goes to office.
Maybe they will forget to vote in the morning, come home from work and be too tired to vote.
I wish we can have voting day on a Saturday, or have a national holiday to vote.
A work day does not help the election process.
While posting an opinion, Jackie Kraken's post had come in. I agree that voter turnout should be a 100%. But short of making voting a law (which would be undemocratic) there is not much we can do. The metaphor about "Paradise Lost" can become reality too easily. And then it is too late, more often than not. It is dangerously foolish to take liberty for granted. But the annals of history tell us how loss of liberty, virtually unnoticed, can sneak up on a people. Friedrich von Schiller (1759-1805) a German Classic wrote that freedom does not grow wild, but freedom is the fruit of a people's virtue. What makes it so complicated is that is never "I" who is responsible. It's always someone else's.
"In every community, there are crucial elections. Why doesn't that excite the non-voters?"
Yes, this is one of the most important elections in recent history! A lot is riding on this election.
Nationally: we could loose our culture and our American way of life if it goes sideways on us and it is possible that freedoms of speech and religion could be lost in an Obama administration.
Statewide: Moral and cultural issues loom that will either make or break us.
Locally: it’s at least hopeful; With the probable election of Swearengin and Debbie Poochigian already elected to the Board of Supervisors - both who are economic and social conservatives - we could be set for an economic revival and the restoration of decency and civility in local government - that is, if the state and federal government lets it happen.
So, why are "some" having a problem with voting? I know the feeling. This is the first election in about 6 years that I haven’t had to "talk myself" into voting. For quite a while, I’ve voted knowing the it probably didn’t make a difference. (It still may not).
I know - considering the political climate in California - that my vote for McCain in California is a waste (But, I do so as a protest). But there are other important issues where there is yet hope.
It’s possible that "some" are just so disgusted by the whole political process, never seeing anything change or get better, that they’ve just given up.
It is more probable that the media is complicit in producing this "feeling of hopelessness" among some voters. The media is so ridiculously one-sided that it smacks of conspiracy. Hard questions are not asked of the candidates, especially liberal ones. (Funny how the media in 24 hours can dig up every possible fact about Joe the Plumber, yet after 2 years, can’t find out anything about Obama).
Author and blogger, Dan Perrin put it this way: "...the absolute arrogance, elitism, condescending, patronizing and in-your-face voter suppression campaign –– don’t vote for McCain, he can not win - (is) being conducted by the national media on Senator Obama’s behalf...."
If there is a disinterest on the part of SOME voters, it may be more about media unwillingness to do their job in a credible way.
I think this election will bring a tremendous turnout. More so than usual. On top of that people are also sick of it and will be glad to see it over with. I agree that this one should excite otherwise complacent voters.
In Australia voting is compulsory. You can be fined big if you don't show up, but their system is much easier.
My wife and I have an idea, see what you think.
All voters should apply for and then be issued a voter card. It would be like a driver's license and all you need is proof of citizenship and age (birth certificate, or equivalent). It will have a picture on it and you can renew it every few years.
You take your voter card to the polls, and you can use any polling place because there is no register to cross reference your name. Your card is good nationwide. The magnetic strip on the back is your info. If you're in New York and you're a California voter, your local ballot still pops up on the screen because of your address and zip code embedded in the magnetic strip. Swipe your card in the voting machine and poke your votes on a touch screen voting system. The voter would have a chance to confirm all votes and then hit a "submit" button. Once this button is hit, the card cannot be used again for that election. Two printed copies are made. One pops out into a lock box for a hard copy if needed, and the other is for the voter to keep. The voter copy can be optional.
The touch screen voting software would tabulate the votes as they happen in real time to a master server. The computer tally would have to be a read-only tally so it can't be hacked or manipulated, and the results wouldn't be accessible on-line to states until polls close.
Each polling place would be able to total the number of people who came through and match it to the total number of ballots filled out and sent electronically.
---It's an idea, and we tried to think of everything, such as phone line tampering or malfunction etc. Let me know if we missed anything.
I vote for the same reason I tear up during the "National Anthem".I look at that flag and I see everyone that has sacrificed before and present so that I may pursue life,liberty and happiness.Those that are able to that choose not to have no excuse that I find acceptable.
Brian - Don't say stuff like that; it will make me change my mind about you and like you. That is the second post today that you have been... well... likeable. Keep tearing up, I'm right there with you.
Scott - Kudos to you and your wife. I think it is a great idea. I'm sure that some kinks will need to be worked out but that is the best idea I've heard so far. Every time I vote I show my driver's license to prove who I am. Every time I am told that isn't required. One man even told me they were not allowed to check IDs. I always ask them how they will know if someone else is trying to vote under my name. I'm always told it hasn't happened yet. Since I basically trust NO ONE, I think it would be great to require a voter card or at least require ID checks.
Scot, Love the idea. It would save my son from driving home 3 hours to vote in his first election (he didn't get his absentee form in on time but wouldn't dream of missing this opportunity!)
"Scot" You (plural) have thought up a very space age way to vote. You have left out one thing....what if the electricity is on the fritz?
Hmmm...power goes out...well it shouldn't go out over too big of an area unless of course there's some act of nature causing it. I suppose in that case those affected could either drive elsewhere or do a provisional ballot by mail-in.
Yeah a lot depends on power and internet lines, but that's nothing new in our day to day lives.
You say it's sort of space age. Thanks, I like it that way, I think it's time we move into the 21st century. We have the technology.
Aside from that, I think our voting will move towards a mail-in type system or on-line. It's easier and cheaper and no lines to stand in, or worry of your name not being on the list when you get there. It amazes me that we've been talking about this since the Florida debacle in 2000, 8 years ago.
several reasons, i cant tell the difference between the platforms offered by the dominant candidates...
the last two presidential elections were stolen outright...and when Congress reinvented the way we vote, the actual vote count somehow got privatized, accountability is lost...anyway, good luck to all i hope your team wins!...from here it looks too close to call....Antigua, Guatemala...paz, john