The New York Times’ lead editorial in the November 12 paper edition is “The Worst Voter Turnout in 72 Years”. Here is a link to the editorial. The editorial contains a graph, showing turnout back to 1900. The figures are from Professor Michael McDonald, who calculates the number of voters, as a percentage of the number of persons who were eligible to register and vote. In other words, the percentages do not relate to how many registered voters there are, just the potential electorate if everyone did register.
Turnout was low in the 1920’s because women had won the right to register to vote, but many women, initially, did not feel comfortable registering or voting. Turnout was low in 1942 because back then, no one could register into a state without having lived in that state for a year, and a large proportion of the population moved during 1942, into states with factories that started producing armaments, or went overseas because of service in the armed forces.
P.R. and nonpartisan App.V. may increase the turnouts ???
What was the turnout in 1858 ??? — the calm before the 1860-1865 super storm of death and destruction — due to the minority rule gerrymanders.
More rigged gerrymanders in the 2014 election.
More than a bit busy in Nov 1942 – taking on the Axis killers/ enslavers in World Wtar II.
Large percent of USA adult population moving around – in military or civilian war jobs — end of 1929-1941 Great Depression I.
With the NEW YORK TIMES being a liberal “rag,” we wonder if they consider the 2014 election the worst voter turn out in 72 years because the GOP won control of Congress, or because it truly was one of the worse turn-outs ref percentage of voters voting?
Also wonder if the NEW YORK TIMES ever thought that providing more choices via easier ballot access for 3rd parties and Independents might have helped? Don’t recall ever reading any of their editorials condemning New York State’s harsh requirements to get a new or 3rd party on the ballot.
I’d say that the New York Times is calling it the worst voter turnout in the 72 years because it was actually the shittiest voter turnout in 72 years. Simple math.
The national turnout of eligible voting was reported by them at under 34% because of “relentlessly negative tone of the campaigns”.
On a brighter note, in 2013 Norway had a national turnout of more than 77% in their parliamentary system:
http://www.idea.int/vt/countryview.cfm?id=165
Norway uses a modified Sainte-Lague system by the proportional representation in multi-seat constituencies.
“Five guys on the court working together can achieve more than five talented individuals who come and go as individuals.”
~ Kareem Abdul-Jabbar
Voter turnout has declined as readership of newspapers such as the New York Times has declined. If the newspapers had anything of interest, voter turnout would probably increase.
A higher and higher percentage of political history MORONS due to color TV, old video tapes, DVDs, Twitter, Facebook, etc, etc.
Gee – is the USA now quite ready for THE computerized tyrant of ALL time ???
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P.R. and nonpartisan App.V.
Jim Riley:
Don’t forget the electronic media. If the radio and televisions news departments would acknowledge voters do have more choices than Democratic and Republican, this too would help. But don’t hold your breath waiting on this to happen.