What needs to be done to get people off their lazy butts to go out and vote?

Question

You always hear about everyone complaining about government and politics, but in reality there's probably a good percentage of them that are registered but do not vote. What does society need to do to get more people to vote? Is America doomed to be run by the few that actually vote?

Answer 1

The easiest way to get people out to vote is to give them candidates worth making the effort for. If the 2 parties actually put forth innovative, intelligent candidates that energized the people, instead of the "lesser of 2 evils" choice we keep getting, more people would go to the polls. Don't hold your breath, though...

I am a proud member of the 17% of Americans that votes in EVERY election- federal, state, and local. I take my RESPONSIBILITY seriously.

The sad thing is, more often than not, I find myself voting AGAINST candidates, not for them. It's been a long time since there was a candidate worth voting FOR.

Answer 2

Great question - not sure I want some people voting, but thats not my call. Its sad when more people vote for an American Idol than an American President! How about we have Larry King host and the Blue Collar comics judge a competion. We could probably pay off the National Debt with the call in voting. We could have guest politicians like Ahnold and Jesse the Body and Billary Clinton. We could have contestants declare wars against the country of their choice, spend public funds on some ludicrous pork barrel bill they dream up, raise or lower taxes for whatever reason, and appoint Supreme Court judges like PeeWee Herman and Eminem. God the possibilities are endless!

Answer 3

Change the Electoral College "Winner-Take-All" rule. 48 States direct their chosen Electors to cast ALL that state's Electoral votes for the one person who got the most popular votes in the general election. If the electoral votes were split to reflect the percentage of votes received by each candidate, then every persons vote would count. For example, if a state has 10 electoral votes and there are two candidates, one Republican & one Democrat and the Rep got 60% of the popular vote and the Dem got 40%, the Electors would have to vote 6 votes for the Rep and 4 for the Dem. As it is now, the Rep. would get ALL 10 votes. That means 40% of the people who voted have their votes thrown out, they are disenfranchised! (google "Electoral College" or check is out on wikipedia if you don't know what it is) Only Maine and Nebraska don't mandate that state electors vote winner-take-all.

Answer 4

I always find that the people who complain the most about the government are the ones that don't vote. I also feel that the ones that don't vote, never read the newspaper, or other sources for information on political issues. So I hope they never will vote.

Answer 5

Because everyone knows that no matter which party wins an election, it's not going to change things. I always vote, but it's always a lot of mumbo jumbo, not plain simple lingo that everyone can understand. The people at the top lead celebrity lifestyles, but the people who put them there have to work their guts out to succeed. Give the people the choice to decide on matters, not the bureaucrats. Simplify politics, then people might make an effort to get out and cast their vote.

Answer 6

I think voting is a duty of a citizen but that will be done when the politicians say the reality of the politics to people and let them to decide according to the reality.If a politician says the reality and what he/she can do(really) and people vote to him/her,then something that she hasn't said she'll do,won't happen no one gets angry and disappointed.But when they tell lies and they can't do anything, people becomes really disappointed and says"voting or not makes no difference.Someone would be elected like other years and he/she will do nothing again."

Answer 7

I agree with Cyndie. If you passed a law that anyone who hadn't voted in, say, the last 5 years, would permanently lose his/her right to vote, imagine the screaming that would go on.
I always wonder, when I read letters to the editor or postings on here that complain about one politician or another, if these people had bothered to vote when that person was running for election. If not, as far as I'm concerned, they've got no right to complain.

Answer 8

I am right there with you about this. It just so happens that people have lost their faith in politics after all the scandals from way back to present, JFK conspiracy, Watergate, Iran Contra, Desert Storm, Clinton Scandal, Florida voting disaster, current war, etc...
It is sad to see there's more people who vote for American Idol than in election.
It will take a lot of hard work and grass-root efforts to get people interested in politics. Unless if people loose some freedom, affected their pocket severely(cost of living going up) only then you can get their attention and that's when you will have the opportunity to get people interested

Answer 9

More people need to be informed and educated. But I also think it would help if people were given the entire day off to vote. the lines are also soo long and then we still have to be to work on time. That way no one can use the excuse that they had to work.

Answer 10

Mandating a vote would probably be the only way.
With this countrys' latest leaders I would say most people feel *why bother* All the canditates tell u what they think u want to hear until they are i office then all their plans and promises fall away.