Low Voter Turnout

One study ranks the U.S. 120th on a list of 169 nations compared on voter turnout (Pintor, Gratschew, & Sullivan, 2002). While during the last decade many initiatives have been undertaken to increase voter participation, concerns

There are many factors that have led to a culture of low voter turnout in the State of Texas. For example, Texas being a poor state with an uneven distribution of wealthy plays an important role. According to the text book, “the poverty rate is important because the poor and less educated, in the absence of strong parties to persuade them to go to the polls on Election Day, have a tendency to stay home”. Because the poverty rate is so high, it makes a big difference on voter turnout when the poor don’t

I believe that the low voter turnout in most elections is appalling. Why do people want to willingly give up their voice in our governmental system? Fewer than 37% of all eligible voters actually cast a ballot in the last presidential election. Many claim ignorance of political issues, but I believe that must stem from laziness. If people would

Voter turnout drastically decreased in 1968, when the voting age was lowered to 18. America is ranked extremely low in political participation amongst other industrialized countries, coming in above only two countries, Russia and Switzerland. As a whole, mass participation is not stressed in The United States. Texas, ranks below the bottom for voter turnout among other states. Texas already does not stress mass participation as compared to Midwestern states and New England states. Texas also has many factors than can contribute to its low voter turnout such as racial diversity, socioeconomic diversity and political culture.

There are multiple reasons why Texas has low voter turnout in their elections. Through our reading we find out there was at least nine different reasons and a detailed analysis. While the top two and most important factors on whether or not a person would show up to vote, had to deal with their education and their income. Texas has one of the easiest registration processes and also the state has an early voting procedures. You would estimate or gather that there should be a high turnout of voting due to those factors alone.

Hearts sinking, fists clenching, frustration building up, American voters prepare for yet another painful presidential election. American elections are notorious for candidates bashing each other, constant television and telephone ads, and above all, shockingly low voter turnout. The list of reasons citizens do not vote goes on forever, but at the top of this ever-long list is one fact: voters in America simply do not believe that their votes matter in the grand scheme of things.

The first determinant of variation in voter turnout is election differences between states; specifically, voting accessibility, early voting, how competitive the race is, and gerrymandering of districts in the state. Voting accessibility

America is a free country, and voting is an important part of that freedom. Unlike other countries where dictators and monarchs make decisions on behalf of the people, Americans get the right to decide who runs the country and what laws should govern citizens. But even though voting is an important privilege, most Americans simply don't vote, and some of their reasons may surprise you. Here are seven common reasons most Americans don't vote.

Obstacles to voting and the absent voting of pure independents are the reason of low turnout in the U.S. today, which may also have great influence both politically and legally. The voter turnout is the percentage of qualified voters who actually go to an election to cast a ballot. Overall, the voter turnout in America is low, with only between 51 and 57 percent of eligible voters going to polls in presidential elections from 2004 to 2012. The reason why America has such a low turnout is because of several obstacles in voting. The U.S. do not provide paid holiday for voters who are workers to vote or well-structured politics for different racial voters, other obstacles like advanced registration and absentee voting also make the voting more difficult for voters. The pure independents, who are unlike independent leaners or behaviour independents, are less well informed and less care about the election information and also definitely less likely to vote on the Election Day, they do not have any preference for any candidates or parties. As Hershey mentioned in his book,

this low voting rate was attributed to a general lack of feeling of responsibility. As young adults age, marry, and become parents, their sense of community and responsibility increases, while their apathy toward voting decreases, (Abramson 116). Another reason for low voter turnout numbers for 18 to 24-year-olds is their generally low levels of party loyalties. Not having strong party ties decreases one's incentive to vote.

Question 4)  What are some explanations for why voter turnout is so low in the U.S. compared to other wealthy, literate and democratic countries?

Voter apathy is a large and serious problem that is affecting the U.S. right now. If the number of people that continuously ignore the ability to vote increases only a small portion of the country will be deciding who leads us and makes the decisions that will either protect us or endanger us. The effects of these decisions can be in economics and war. Also, if only a fraction of the population votes there is a much a greater chance of imbalance in politics. For example, this could cause more Democrats or Republicans to vote and make it too easy for one party to be in office. Every vote counts and one by one voter apathy can be reduced to an uncommon term. I think it comes down to maturity, or lack of it at a young age. I believe a major reason

There are a few reasons why people choose not to vote. Firstly, it takes work to register to vote. In the U.S it is up to the individual to sign up for voting. They have to go to a specific building like a governmental building or a library just to fill out the paperwork. In other countries, if you are a citizen of that country, you automatic get signed up. Right before an election, there is such a thing known as a one stop shop in which people can register to vote and vote at the same time. This usually happens a little earlier than the election as these people get to vote early. While there is a major turnout of voters with this, it actually has lowered the rate of voting.

Another big idea about people not voting is most people are unaware of their surroundings, basically they don’t have the skills and knowledge to vote. A great example for this type of situation like this is the election of 2000 when George Bush surprising won the election against Al Gore. The Elections was winding down to one state and that was Florida and at the time which was a blue Democratic state. Cause the lack of skills the citizens not able to completely finish the ballout and that resulted in many uncounted votes. Now if things would have happened differently our society can have been on a different course for example 9/11 would had a good chance of not happening and more possibilities. Next the knowledge many Americans have about

Voting is a vital portion of conducting everyday life. Americans have more freedom than many other people in countries around the globe; therefore, it is pertinent to express that freedom in many ways. Up until 1965 when the Voting Rights Act was signed into law, many people of color, gender, and all other classifications in the United States fell under one umbrella: not having the ability to vote. (massvote.org) As far as Americans having the ability to vote, 218,959,000 people have the eligibility to vote as of August 16th, 2015. Out of that significantly large number, 146,311,000 are actually registered to vote. (statisticbrain.com) This large gap in people with the eligibility to vote, and actual registered voters, is very alarming. As an American, it is the right and duty of a citizen to exercise all attainted rights by voting in all elections, even if the favored party seems to lose to no avail. (theodysseyonline.com)