Low voter turnout: "This has gone on so long that we are in a crisis situation"

[phantom power]

Republicans are winning across the country, even when their views are generally unpopular. Matt Bevin, a fringe Tea Party sort, won the Kentucky governorship, even though he was lagging pretty far behind in the polls going into Election Day. But it was an off-year, which means that every Fox News-obsessive is showing up to vote while ordinary people who generally have smart opinions are too busy going to work and forgetting that there is even an election to bother showing up.

This phenomenon is likely a major reason that the Republican party is so thoroughly controlled by fringe right-wing nuts these days. They’re the people who show up to every election, while more moderate and sane people frequently—understandably, since they are busy and have concerns outside of politics—forget to vote.

This has gone on so long that we are in a crisis situation. There’s a lot of chatter in Democratic circles about things like Citizens United and campaign finance reform. Those are important issues, but while the issue of voter turnout is less sexy, it’s almost surely the far bigger problem. Democrats need to start getting serious about improving voter turnout—advocating for Saturday elections, pushing for online or mail-in ballots, hell, pushing for mandatory voting—anything that will make off-year election turnout look more like presidential election year turnout. Because right now, Republicans are quietly exploiting this particular bug in our election system to secure a lot more power than their actual numbers should give them.

http://www.salon.com/2015/11/04/these_are_not_the_only_nuts_tea_party_governors_and_anti_lgbt_statutes_win_when_we_stupidly_stay_home/

[Blue_Tires]

1. They would do well to start with universities...

You almost have to bribe/beg/threaten most college students to even pay attention to the presidential race, much less vote for it...

Congressional seats and everything else lower than that? Good fuckin' luck

[yeoman6987]

11. True. I am not hopeful of Louisiana governors race after last night

Yes the polls show the democrat winning but if we don't vote polls mean squat.

[valerief]

2. Don't discount vote-flipping and voter suppression, too. That hasn't stopped.

People can turn up and get turned away or turned around.

http://bradblog.com/

[phantom power]

6. sure, and gerrymandering, and failure of Dems to differentiate themselves...

... and voting count fraud... It's a long list. And all of it contributes, directly or indirectly, to low turnout. I don't actually think we have to be limited to addressing just one issue, but sometimes it helps to fixate on one, especially when confronted by an overwhelming set of problems. Pick one, fix it, move on...

[valerief]

8. Yes, the Dems have been disappointing, like they've already ceded to the oligarchs. nt

[yeoman6987]

13. Yeah gerrymandering had everything to do with the Kentucky governor loss

Not at all.

[liberal_at_heart]

3. The only thing that will improve voter turn out is having candidates that

actually represent the people and get people excited about voting again. The only thing mandatory voting will get us is a lot of Mickey Mouse write ins, drawn middle fingers on ballots, and people willing to pay the fine or got jail because you cannot force people to vote. I would be willing to go to jail. No one will ever force me to vote. We must have a populist uprising and elect populist candidates. That is the only thing that will increase voter turn out.

[OffWithTheirHeads]

5. Coun not have said it better.

[Dr. Doolittle]

4. Enthusiasm factor

The people MUST have a reason to vote. Status quo won't get these people out of their home and voting.

Make voting by mail free (and not cost stamps as it is a poll tax) or give first Tuesday of November a paid day off.

[geek tragedy]

7. All local elections should coincide with federal elections. no more of this odd-number year

horsecrap.

[madamesilverspurs]

9. Sad and bizarre.

[kelliekat44]

12. Better audit those machines. nt

[kelliekat44]

14. This is where the DNC needs to put money and effort. Knocking on doors and pleading the Dem record

and getting people to get out there and vote.

[rtracey]

15. not totally true

This is not totally true. While this governor race in KY did seem to get a lot of coverage....remember these citizens put Mitch McConnell back in office too.... and the new governor was an open supporter of the clerk who went to jail for not issuing marriage licenses to gay couples.....so i am not surprised they went right wing..... I read today many, and I mean many local and state elections went from GOP to Democrat. Many mayor and legislation went Democrat, so i think to jump on a voter turnout from democrats right now is a little premature. We are still one year away and not one primary has been held.... I think this time last election cycle we were going to announce that Herman Cain was our new President.....or was it Rick Santorium.... no it was Michele Bachmann.....right...that was it....