What can Americans do to promote a higher voter turnout?

Question

Most Americans understand that with the electoral college in place, election results can be, and have been, different then the popular vote. Whether or not this is just, as has been debated, I believe a lot of potential voters are feeling disenfranchised by this fact and are neglecting to vote as they feel their vote won't matter (IE: A Democrat in Texas, or a Republican in New York, or a Green Party anywhere).

Compare our voter turnout (54%) to some of other countries. Italy and Austria, among others, are in the 90's, and even our neighbor to the north is over 20% higher than ours. What can we do to promote a higher voter turnout?

Answer 1

I don't want a higher voter turnout. If you stay home, my vote is worth more. I say..... everyone should refrain from voting, just let MY vote decide the outcome.

Seriously, though, a higher voter turnout is not of value unless those voters are casting informed, thoughtful votes. Getting even more people who don't know the real issues, and don't understand or accept the responsibility which goes with voting, is not a GOOD thing.

Find a way to get more people interested in current event, political issues, and civic responsibility. If you can do that, the voter turn out with reflect that interest.

Answer 2

First, you need some decent candidates, and second, you need incentives like on YA. Give each voter a voucher for say 30% off at a store of there choice. Americans love sales. Third, if they don't vote in an election, they can't vote again for 6 years.

Answer 3

Get better candidates from all parties and impose term limits on all elected and appointed governmental officials. Either that or make elections more like American Idol. Jerry Springer could be the host and after each candidate talks for 3 minutes Americans could pick up their cell phones and pay 99 cents to choose their favorite. Or our elections could be like Survivor and the candidates would have to go through elimination rounds and get voted off by each other.

Answer 4

If things were much worse, you could expect a higher voter turnout. The fact that people don't turn out shows that most feel fairly content with our current political system. Some abstain out of protest, but most are lazy and apathetic. If these people had something to fear, they'd probably vote. Yeah, yeah, I know it's counterintuitive to some degree, but low voter turnout isn't inherently a bad thing.

Answer 5

Levy fines for all those that don't vote. Simple and it works, see Australia.

But don't forget that Americans know more about Paris Hilton than they do about their politics........an uninformed voter is just not the same as an informed voter.

Answer 6

Where are you getting your stats from? But back to your question, want more turn-out - let GOOGLE run the process. Fastest search engine along with Yahoo - these two companies combined with Bill Gates could convince the American people that the "election" process is fair and legal. No one believes the "government" any more.

Answer 7

Make Election Day a national holiday.

Answer 8

give each voter 1000 dollars at the voting booth, if we can waste a half a trillion in Iraq why not pay the voters ! you will see close to 100 % voter turnout

Answer 9

Democrats and Republicans are an identical. at the back of close doors Dems and Reps are continually in contract. To something of the international, they act like they are against one yet another. This creates the phantasm there are 2 aspects of ever situation. in certainty, they are an identical situation. The critical government, run via bureaucratic servants referred to as Democrats and Republicans, understand that there is a eleven% approval cost of the government via the U. S. electorate. that's unacceptable to the Dems and Reps. they want away to tutor there capability. So growing to be an apprehension atmosphere, gets the electorate interest. this will additionally enable them to portray they are doing something for the electorate that would no longer be saved faraway from the government. I't is a compelled acceptance of capability in all its tyranny. between the regulations of conflict whilst dealing with a more desirable enemy is to divide and triumph over, relatively then to attack your enemies stress as an entire. understanding that electorate and there constitutional freedoms/rights are a thee governments perfect enemy, growing to be a diversionary tactic including Republican and Democrat might divide the governments enemies "electorate + constitutional freedoms/rights" as quickly as divided, the enemy is plenty greater handy to triumph over. for this reason, as quickly as we are divided, the critical government can get rid of freedoms/rights, and enforce tyrannous regulations plenty greater handy than if we've been united. Vote for absolutely everyone else as properly Democrats or Republicans. I't would be absolutely everyone beginning from a 0.33 occasion candidate to Mickey Mouse. do exactly no longer vote for Democrats or Republicans. They have been bought and paid for an prolonged time in the past via bureaucrats. whilst Dems or Reps are elected, they serve the interests of transnational companies that paid for them to get elected, no longer the electorate. I't is the ideal appearing out of a "sturdy cop undesirable cop" concern in historical past. in simple terms keep in mind. The Tea occasion is the Republican occasion. "I'f your a multi-billion greenback transnational organization and you pay for, a million President + 435 Congressmen + a hundred Senators + 9 ideal court docket Justices, then you definately've entire capability over 350,000,000+ electorate and all there materials."

Answer 10

Term limits would increase voter turnout.