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Post by kjs on Nov 14, 2018 10:07:21 GMT -6
Pardon me when I vent a little bit...........
Every Election Year (Presidential and Mid-terms) I measure the "turn out"......
Turn out is measured by How many people are eligible to vote -- compared to those that actually come out and vote....
The United States as a Country -- Has a pretty POOR turn out rate..... (BTW - Click on Graph and it expands)
If you have trouble reading the chart -- it basically shows election years since 1916 (purple is Presidential Years and Blue is Mid-term) The results are about 60% of the voting eligible population votes during presidential election years, and about 40% votes during midterm elections.
The 1960 Presidential Year the turn out rate was 63.8 (a record that has not been broken yet)........ The Highest Mid-term election turn out rate was 1966 with 48.7
Drum roll Please ....................
This year 2018 Mid-term Election was 49.2 (so the previous highest was barely beaten with this year)
============= So why am I still upset? We did break the previous record...........
So, Yes -- Hip hip hooray we got a turnout rate of 49% in an "OFF Year"
BUT come on -- where else can you get a under 50% percentage -- and accept that as GREAT?
If you look at the attached second graph -- you will NOTE the USA (for the last two elections) is in the bottom THREE places for all places that have voting........
I just do not get it -- at all................
We have a right to vote (in my opinion it is a DUTY) ...........
SO WHY OH WHY DO SO MANY PEOPLE do not honor that right? ?
END RANT...............
But I really want to go around shaking some people...............
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Post by Gary on Nov 14, 2018 12:50:11 GMT -6
I'm with you. Why won't people vote? Imagine if all believers voted. This picture says it all:
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Post by kjs on Nov 14, 2018 15:47:07 GMT -6
Gary:
Your picture is spot on for Mid-Term elections -- they are consistently in the 40% range -- which means more people DO NOT VOTE -- then those that do.
In Presidential years -- it is USUALLY over 50% who vote (sometimes as much as 60%) -- so during those years -- there are more voters than those who do not vote.....
But still very frustrating.........
(but what really gets me is the Complainers -- those who cannot be bothered to vote --- but scream at the President or Congress for doing (not doing) something.......)
AND yes, I heard the same old excuse -- My vote does not count -----
OH Really -- is that why in a recent election the winner was determined by Card Draw -- because they were exactly tied..........
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Post by Gary on Nov 14, 2018 15:53:29 GMT -6
Exactly right. Particularly since 2000, elections have been extremely polarized, which is why just a few hundred votes has the potential to swing an election in battlegrounds.
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Post by kjs on Nov 15, 2018 7:49:30 GMT -6
Exactly right. Particularly since 2000, elections have been extremely polarized, which is why just a few hundred votes has the potential to swing an election in battlegrounds. Speaking of the 2000 election (or should I say Selection -- Since the SC decision is finally what stopped the back and forth complaints).....
I would of figured (based upon the number of Florida Protestors) that the very next election would have had near 100% participation
Because everyone was "so Focused on EVERY VOTE COUNTING"
However, the next Mid_term Had only 39.5% voter turnout (not even 40%) -- so much for worrying about every vote counting!!
(will concede the next Presidential year 2004 -- voter turnout did jump to 60.1 which is a heck of a lot better than the 54.2 turn out in 2000)
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Post by mike on Nov 15, 2018 11:12:19 GMT -6
I am one of those who is pictures on the right Gary. My state is blue. Period.
My choice to not exercise my right to vote is just that.
I voted in prior years when I thought my vote mattered, but ultimately it doesn't. Not in NJ.
Maybe if there were less people like me we would have an absolutely corrupt senator reelected? Then again maybe not.
I really don't believe any of the politicians do anything more than like to our faces. So my rationale is why do I cast a vote for someone I have zero confidence in? Zero trust for? I don't, that's my choice
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Post by Natalie on Nov 15, 2018 11:40:00 GMT -6
I voted, but I live in Illinois which is controlled by Chicago. I always vote in the Presidential election because I feel that I can't complain about the President if I don't vote.
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ally
New Member
Posts: 8
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Post by ally on Nov 15, 2018 15:20:54 GMT -6
I'm in total blue state as well: California I did vote however thinking maybe... but to no avail. There were some ballot measures I was interested in but every one went the opposite of how I voted We couldn't even repeal a new gas tax! Yup my area is relatively conservative but we are controlled by L.A. and San Francisco
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