America gets a big fat "F."

[audiogirl]

In school, 40 percent is failing. Why such low voter turnout? Your opinion is welcome, hopefully minus name-calling and/or demonizing one or more political parties.

[jamiebk]

Voting in our county (Sonoma County CA) was 59%...not too bad for a mid-term election, I think)

[Trumpetmaster]

Too many lazy people. They will not take the time to go vote.

We are blessed to have these rights....
Other people in this world can't.

There are too many Americans who take our rights for granted......


They should get off the couch, walk to the voting sites and
get involved with THEIR Country.


End of editorial....

[Catmando]

We have the same problem in Canada with low voter turnout. I think it is higher than the U.S., but still way too low.

And there isn't any excuse for it. It's shameful!

[Selma in Sandy Eggo]

I dunno. My personal voter turnout was 100%. I am only responsible for me.

Also, I don't mind making decisions for the nitwits too irresponsible or lazy to go vote for themselves. They can just put up with whatever decisions I help make. Serve 'em right.

[Trumpetmaster]

I dunno. My personal voter turnout was 100%. I am only responsible for me.

Also, I don't mind making decisions for the nitwits too irresponsible or lazy to go vote for themselves. They can just put up with whatever decisions I help make. Serve 'em right.

But they are the first to complain.......
They should vote and voice their opinion or keep their traps shut!

[jamiebk]

I heard a number of people express that they were purposly NOT voting in order to send a message. I don't understand that thinking. It demonstrates nothing and the election will still produce a result.

[Nicole Marie]

But they are the first to complain.......
They should vote and voice their opinion or keep their traps shut!

Agreed... can't Bitch if you don't Vote!!

[Shapley]

My view is that if you aren't informed on the issues, I'd rather you not vote. I don't really care if they agree with me or not, but I do want them to know what it is their vote is for. I prefer that the vote be about the issues, not about who was the cutest, or who paid the most for the vote. The AARP was running ads for their website dontvote.com that sent the same message.

It has long been common practice in this area to buy votes from the uninformed. People will cast their vote for $5 or a bottle of beer. We had a campaign worker go to jail for it a few years back (the candidate, of course, knew nothing about it and was shocked that it happened ). I was paid $5 for my vote the first time I voted, I was eighteen and, as they say, "everyone did it". (I note that the price hasn't gone in all the years since then!)

I don't understand the mentality of those who study the issues and then don't vote. "Send a message"?? Yeah, right.

V/R
Shapley

[mmichaelson]

My view is that if you aren't informed on the issues, I'd rather you not vote. I don't really care if they agree with me or not, but I do want them to know what it is their vote is for. I prefer that the vote be about the issues, not about who was the cutest, or who paid the most for the vote. The AARP was running ads for their website dontvote.com that sent the same message.

It has long been common practice in this area to buy votes from the uninformed. People will cast their vote for $5 or a bottle of beer. We had a campaign worker go to jail for it a few years back (the candidate, of course, knew nothing about it and was shocked that it happened ). I was paid $5 for my vote the first time I voted, I was eighteen and, as they say, "everyone did it". (I note that the price hasn't gone in all the years since then!)

I don't understand the mentality of those who study the issues and then don't vote. "Send a message"?? Yeah, right.

V/R
Shapley

<nods in agreement>

[BigJon]

The If you don't vote, don't complain crowd puts my shorts into a knot. Only a leftist or fascist would say such a thing. This is the United States of America, we have the right to complain about anything and anyone at any time. It's that darn, little inconvenient thing called freedom of speech.

[OperaTenor]

I blame negative campaigning on the majority of voter apathy.

While I see the logic in preferring the uninformed stay away from the polls, it doesn't address the underlying issue, and more people ought to care enough about governnment to learn enough to vote intelligently.

However, having said as much, I have no way of proving this, but I wouldn't be surprised if a lot of disgruntled Pubs stayed home yesterday rather than vote for a Dem.

[Shapley]

I blame negative campaigning on the majority of voter apathy.

That may drive some voters away, but I think the problem is much larger than that. Negative ads target those that are paying attention. Polls three weeks before the election showed that 60% of the people never heard of Nancy Pelosi and nearly as many never heard of Dennis Hasteret. You can't be paying attention and not have heard of Nancy Pelosi or Dennis Hastert. Voter apathy is just an offshoot of governmental apathy. Remember the civics quiz posted here on B.com? The average score is what?...35? We on B.com scored an average well in the 40's. Dai Bread lives halfway around the globe and beat the average score. People don't care. That's their right, mind you. I just prefer that they carry the apathy through Election Day. Let them watch Gilligan's Island reruns on Election Day and stay home.

V/R
Shapley

[Selma in Sandy Eggo]

I don't know about the "disgruntled". I guess I'm just hardwired on "gruntled". And also fairly moderate on most things, plus I don't generally vote party lines on anything. I did rather enjoy using the barfle gambit - anywhere I didn't like the major contenders, or didn't like the kind of campaigning they'd been doing (take that, Shirley Horton!) I touched the "libertarian" entry.

Had I had no opinion on any of the politicians, I'd still have had to go vote on the several state propositions. And, I'd like to point out that I needed several pots of coffee and aspirins to get through the things and make up my mind, such as it is. Those proposition-authoring wretches spout more obfuscatory bushwah than the law ought to allow.

[Selma in Sandy Eggo]

[audiogirl]

Selma, I thought the same thing while I was reading through the propositions. Some are not reader-friendly.

[Selma in Sandy Eggo]

"not reader-friendly" is about the kindest description of a California state proposition that I've ever heard.

[shostakovich]

Over 60% turnout in my town. And Lieberman STILL won!
Shos

PS: I find myself agreeing with Shapley's comments on this thread. Underwold cooling may be the connected with some global warming.

[dai bread]

It will be interesting to watch the next 2 years of GWB's presidency. Now that things won't automatically go his way, is he going to show some unexpected political talent?

I'm glad to see the last of Rumsfeld's smirking dial.

In this country, we have the choice of voting for one lot or the other of those who bribe us with our own money. I'd like to stay home on election day (not due for another couple of years) but I always remember that people shed blood for my right to vote, so I go & do it.

[Marye]

quote=Shapley. Dai Bread lives halfway around the globe and beat the average score. V/R Shapley

Not to imply that Dai is old (my apologies Dai) by learning about the U.S. in school as a youngster but I certainly did in Canada. Canadian history and geography took a back seat to U.S. and European history and the influence of Amerian television, as a child, had me knowing more about the U.S. and being able to recite the pledge of allegiance and sing the U.S. anthem long before I could name the provinces of Canada.

I regularly did not cast a vote in the municipal elections until the greatest of idiots became Mayor in Toronto then I couldn't get to the polls fast enough. Not suggesting anything here either.