1.4 "Why People Don't Vote"

1. What percentage of Americans voted in the 2012 election?  What percentage of registered voters voted in the 2012 election?

            58.6% of Americans voted in the 2012 election; 84% of the registered voters voted..

2. How do state requirements to register ahead of time prevent people from voting?

            State requirements to register ahead of time prevent people from voting because they bar ex-felons from voting. Also, a lot of people simply miss the deadline for voting because registration dates vary from state to state.

3. What reason do most people give for not participating in the election?

            Most people don't vote because they weren't interested in voting at all or didn't like the candidates or didn't care. A lot of people think that their vote doesn't matter.

4. How do families and upbringing impact voter turnout in the future?

            In affluent households, the conversations that parents have with their kids are more empowering. They're told this is something that's expected of you, this is something that can make a difference. Whereas other people get the message that politics is kind of abstract, dirty business. If you're college educated, reasonably affluent, a homeowner with kids, then chances are most of your neighbors and the people you speak to also vote- there's a cultural norm there. If you grow up in a poor immigrant population, where many of your neighbors might not be citizens, there may be less social expectation and social pressure to vote. These unequal norms can also become self-reinforcing over time. Wealthy communities vote more, their voices are far more likely to be heard, and it’s much easier for them to think that participating in politics is worthwhile. 

5. Why does having so many elections in the US cause turnout to decrease?

            The United States has many more elections other countries: over a four-year period, Americans are faced with a barrage of federal, state, and local elections. Not only is that fatiguing, but it makes it easier to slip into the habit of not voting at all.

6. How do political parties impact which people show up and vote?’

            Most of America’s elections are winner-take-all events in which only two major parties stand a chance. That, too, can depress turnout. Many voters may decide they don’t agree with either of the two parties and stay home. By contrast, in a multiparty parliamentary system, a voter has more options to choose from.

7. What is Oregon experimenting with to try to increase voter turnout?

            Oregon is experimenting with voting by mail, but it hasn't produced a significant result.

8. What would be the likely effect of turning Election Day into a giant festival?

            More people would come and vote if Election Day was a festive event because it would change the cultural norms surrounding elections.

9. Why do mandatory voting laws work if the punishments are not bad?

            Mandatory voting laws work because they signal to people that voting is expected behavior.