Why is it that Americans don't vote?

Question

Why does the U.S., supposed leader of the free world and "creator of democracy around the world" have the poorest voter turnout?

At least in the national elections, shouldn't it be mandatory or face a fine?

Answer 1

We are VERY spoiled and take things for granted. We live a what we feel is a safe environement, most of us never have to worry about money, atleast not in the same way that most human beings do, in the can I feed my children or afford to keep the house warm wnough kind of way, and are to busy worrying about attaining social status through owning the right handbag to educate ourselves about political issues. THings have always been "taken careof for us", and many have never had to worry about forgein policy, etc. Why bother voting when you can be blissfully ignorant?

Answer 2

With all the talk about disenfranchising voters by requiring Voter I.D. cards, I think the focus needs to shift to a more important but less well remembered subject of the Government/Civics classes we took in high school. Google the "Electoral College" for background. The aspect I'm most incensed about is the "Winner-Take-All" component of the Electoral College rules. This aspect of the College is not a National Mandate or Law, it's just how each individual state has chosen to participate in elections. It is a changable rule. Two states, Maine and Nebraska, currently apportion their state's Electoral Votes based on percentages of the popular vote. We'd have no artificial "Red State/Blue State" dichotomy, but more of a "Shades of Purple Country" if the Electoral College votes in all states were apportioned as a percentage of the popular vote. Currently, as you know, the National candidate in 48 states who garners the plurality of the popular vote gets ALL the electoral votes. If the vote is close and the winner gets 53% of the vote but my choice for office only gets 47% of the vote, that equals 47% of the population of the state whose votes are nullified. If that isn't disenfranchisement..... The last national election proves the point, the person who won the majority of the popular vote lost because of the "Winner-Take-All" rule.

If a candidate for national office had to concern him/herself with voters in all the states instead of only focusing on the states with the largest blocs of electoral votes, we might see a more interesting race and a better debate of the issues. If every citizen knew their vote was part of a percentage of the apportionment of the popular vote, I believe there would be a higher voter turnout. As it is historically, and currently realistically, people don't turn out for elections because they believe their vote doesn't matter. Because of the Electoral College rules, many of them are correct in feeling that way. With the prospect of a contentious series of races for national office and the potential for changing the dynamics of the composition of the Congress this fall, the time is right for a new national issue. Would this require a change in the Constitution? I don't know, more research on my part is needed.

While I'm talking about elections, here is another nugget of election trivia that I'm sure you're familiar with. Off cycle voting for Referendums get a very low turnout. Runoff elections get very low turnouts. And the polling places have to be set up again, election monitors have to be corraled again, and more of "my" money is spent printing new ballots. Let's save the taxpayer that money by mandating that all referendums must be conducted during the normal election cycle. There is a concept being floated in political circles called the "Instant Runoff". When you choose your candidate for the elected position, select your second and third choice on the same ballot. Once the ballots are tabulated, if my first choice doesn't garner enough votes to win, or place or show (these are races, after all), then my ballot already has an alternative candidate of my choice indicated. After counting the votes, there will always be a winner with no need for a runoff.

Voting should never be made mandatory. But those who do NOT vote should not be allowed to criticize. Email your Congressman.

Thanks for reading this far!

Answer 3

The "free world" shouldn't have to enforce votes.

But to answer your question, low vote turnouts are a result of misinfomation. Particularly among politicians, who rate very low in popularity and are pretty much in par with car salesmen as some of the most untrusted people in the world.

There is plenty of corruption.

And million of people around the nation feel nothing but contempt for them.

Besides, like a famous parody once said, most of the time, you always end up with two kinds of candidates: A turd sandwich, and a douchebag.

Answer 4

For the most part, there are those who are uneducated and/or lazy and don't feel like making the effort. Then, there are those who know a little bit, but decide to abstain. Unfortunately, we're stuck in a 2 party mindset, and nowaday, people vote for democrats or republicans blindly, without actually questioning their views or motives.

I also believe that there are those that think that their vote couldn't count. With "so many" other people voting, why should their ONE vote make a difference?

Answer 5

Look at the lousy candidates we've had. Look at our circus clown acts of the party system.
Get rid of the lead the sheep to the left and the right and feed them our crap so they'll do what we want..baloney...and more Americans might start voting again.
Having the choice between dumb and dumber (with the big corporations really being the driving force behind BOTH) is what's created the poor voter turnout. (and most of the problems we have in our country today)

Answer 6

Politics in the United States is a complicated issue, and some people don't feel well informed enough to vote. Lots of people don't read a newspaper, or watch the news on TV and have no idea of what is happening in politics or in the world around them.

Answer 7

Because a lot of us are disillusioned with the electoral process. Until either the elector college is abolished, or the 2 party system is gone, I won't vote for president.
I was a very active voted until I learned the system doesn't work.
Making it mandatory to vote would be against everything the Constitution is suppose to stand for.

Answer 8

I vote at every election... And I've been voting since I turned 18... I wish it was mandatory for everyone to vote...I think a large fine would be great... What I really hate is when people piss and moan about the candidates who win when they didn't even vote... I'd like to smack them around a bit...

Answer 9

A great deal of people (such as the urban poor, high school dropouts, etc.) aren't informed enough or responsible enough to know when election day is until they hear the results. Sad but true.

Answer 10

People don't tend to see the "good" out of voting. Politicians have a hard time keeping their campaign promises. Therefore, what they promise is not what they deliver. This makes people resentful against all politicians in general.