Let's Face It....Students and African American voters were missing

[monmouth]

yesterday at the polls. These two groups came out in droves last year to substantially help elect Barack Obama. I wonder if they think their "job" to vote is now over because he won that election. I'm rather disappointed in the low turnout, and these two groups of voters were noticeably missing. They're citizens, they're Democrats and Independents and in order to be recognized as active participants, should have done their jobs. I'm disappointed. Hopefully they will turn out in the coming elections but keeping Democrats in office doesn't happen by magic. If you liked the way your vote worked for you, why not continue to do the job of every citizen. VOTE!

[Captain Hilts]

1. Creepy, scary Gov and AG candidates in VA weren't enough to get them to vote. Sad. nt

[Sebass1271]

3. You two dn't realize that the media doesnt really inform the

public and a lot of these ppl need to feel motivated and have a reason to vote. They must be informed of those reasons. Dean was very good at doing just that. He had a grasp of local elections local GOTV efforst and used it before last year's election. When last election came around, Dean had already done the job and had implemented that strategy.

I believe the DNC fell asleep, and last, we didn't choose a fire up progressive candidate in VA to begin with!!

[Captain Hilts]

4. That they're right wing creeps was all over the media. nt

[Freddie Stubbs]

12. Did the Democratic candidates do an adequate job in informing the votes of this?

[Sebass1271]

2. Because Dr. Dean was missing!!.. that's why!!

[Romulox]

5. Voters don't work for politicians. It's the other way around.

It's not voters' "job" to get Jon Corzine electedl; it's Jon Corzine's job (no scare quotes) to represent his constituents, else lose his seat.

[Tierra_y_Libertad]

6. +1

[Taverner]

7. This year our side (progressives) mounted a shit poor nonexistant GOTV campaign

And it shows

Even off years we should be forcing our block out en masse

[Mz Pip]

8. Politics is a participation sport

If you don't show up, you forfeit to the other team.

Maybe the people who came out in huge numbers for Obama will take a lesson from these losses and stay engaged.

[Frances]

9. I hope you are right

If the Dems had won in Virginia and New Jersey, they may have gotten complacent. I think the results show how important GOTV will be in 2012.

That said, both Deeds and Corzine were poor candidates.

I think it's more important that CA is sending a more progressive Dem than the one he replaced and that NY is sending a Dem instead of a Palinista.

On the bright side, Virginia survived the REpub who won on abolishing the car tax and George Allen. Virginia has had both Dem and Repub governors; it's not a blue or a red state.

[Winterblues]

10. If we had "Vote By Mail" most would have voted...I believe

I believe the reason was mainly they just couldn't be bothered...It was too much of an inconvenience for them to find the time to go to the polls. Maybe some felt they would be hassled at the polls, maybe some felt they might run into someone they didn't want to run into. Maybe it was raining....who knows but I believe if they had been mailed a ballot a couple of weeks before the election date and all they had to do was mark a couple of pieces of paper and let the mailman take it away... Free Postage...many more would have done it...I also believe they would be more informed with that process. They would have weeks to know exactly what was on the ballot and ask their friends what they thought about both the people and the issues to be voted upon. Oregon has vote by mail and usually has a turnout well over 70%.. It only makes sense... Republicans have been sending out absentee ballots to their people for well over a decade now and without that they would really be in deep trouble..

[RaleighNCDUer]

11. A lite student turnout is understandable - they are students.

They are at school, not at home voting in their local elections. Few students follow the local elections in the towns they go to school in. They don't know the players, don't know the history. It's not 'their' election.

[juno jones]

13. Mail-in ballots.

It's a lot harder to ignore or forget the elections when the ballot is lyiing on your kitchen table and all you do is mail it in or drop it by the courthouse. I'm glad I have that opportunity, otherwise I tend to forget what's going on in the haze of day to day existence.

It's a lot more convienent for the working class that is considered the dem base, just sayin.