Voter turnout in 2014 was the lowest since WWII

Voter turnout in 2014 was the lowest since WWII

Just 36.4 percent of the voting-eligible population cast ballots as of last Tuesday, continuing a steady decline in midterm voter participation that has spanned several decades.

Are stricter voter identification requirements already having an affect on elections or turnout in general?

How Much of a Difference Did New Voting Restrictions Make in Yesterday's Close Races?

...a quick look at the numbers shows that in several key races, the margin of victory came very close to the likely margin of disenfranchisement.

Apathetic America. With just 19% of the electorate deciding who will be in charge.



For the disillusioned voters, I have this to say: ATS Post

a reply to: links234

Are stricter voter identification requirements already having an affect on elections or turnout in general?

Must have been the i.d. laws.

What else could have it possibly been?

Well the truth is most americans are to closed minded and self abosrbed to give a damn about gubberment, politicians and polls.

We also have a serious problem with disconnecting from the cyber world and rejoining the human race.

Open question: What would happen if no one voted? Is their a default?

a reply to: links234

They would prefer less turnout. It adds to the already manipulated turn out. The question is if everyone did turn out would it make any difference?

How come the same politicians keep getting reelected over and over?

Hmmm?

Woooo whooo!
Indiana came in at 28%

Indiana voters have had to show IDs for the last several elections, so that has nothing to do with it here.
The truth is that indiana didn't have much going on in this election and not many close races.

I do not believe that that is the reason. It is not apathy, it is the growing realization that your vote does not matter. It does not matter if the left or the right gets voted in, the system is broken, there is nothing to vote for.

The two party system has outlived its usefulness.

Now, create a new, third party, with promises to rip the guts out of the federal government, reign in the budget and follow the constitution, and I think you may see those absent voters get out of their chairs and make their way to the polling centers.

Why go to the trouble to vote when you are voting for more of the same garbage candidates.

P

a reply to: pheonix358

I confess I didn't vote because I am very disillusioned with the political system. Already way too much corruption and the fact it's becoming increasingly more despotic.

a reply to: Hoosierdaddy71

Indiana has a strong history of participation in politics since it's a swing state. Your vote actually matters there in most elections.

Have you watched "Electoral Dysfunction" by No Rocca. He explores our system of voting by using Indiana as a case study. It was very interesting.

a reply to: pheonix358

So a majority of voters decided they had no voice...

Think about that for a minute, 63.6% believe they don't make a difference. If half of that number voted for a third party candidate in every election this year then the third party candidates would have won, easily.

There's a very, very pervasive belief that the individual has no power. It's so pervasive that there's an entire populace believing they have no power. For whatever reason, millions of people have been told or came to the conclusion that their vote doesn't matter. It's such a dangerous and powerful lie.

If just 3 people voted in an election it would still count. If 99.9% of the population didn't vote, the election would continue.

If you think your vote doesn't matter now then it will never matter unless you make it. Politicians don't listen to people who don't make noise.

Around 89 percent of voting eligible people have photo IDs.
Seems like the problem isn't so much having an ID as it is actually going to the polls and voting.

a reply to: links234

We voted for Bush and got a corporatist puppet. We voted for Obama and got a corporatist puppet. The third party option is a nice pipe dream but there hasn't been a candidate string enough to have even a smidgen of hope for winning since Perot.

Imagine if Perot got elected all those years ago. We'd be doing so god damn good right now. He was no one's puppet.

a reply to: links234

Politicians don't listen to people who don't make noise.

And that is the problem!

That is why DC is a hot bed of corruption.

Politicians do not listen to the people at all.

The system is broken. Why continue with the facade? Why participate in the dog and pony show?

P

a reply to: tavi45

I don't think it's considered a swing state, at least not yet.
We swing republican for the most part.

I have not watched it yet. But I will

a reply to: links234

With the ongoing illegal wars in the Middle East and all the illegal surveillance happening, well it shows the government does things without the people's consent and approval. That's why they say they have no voice. No matter what they do the government will do it anyways.

a reply to: tavi45

Yeah once Perot gets elected then what? He'll be like JFK or become drunk with power.

I think people are becoming more aware of and increasingly disinterested with politics.

People see the police in their town raiding people, setting traps, violence on YouTube and facebook. Everyone I know likes and shares conspiracy material, millions of people are into alternative media.

its bad and good. It's bad because it's the old guard republicans doing all the voting and that's not good.

Its a compound problem. Its not just the fact that people think their vote don't count. its also the distractions and the self centered attitudes most americans have. It is the whole world will keep spinning mentality.

I guess what im trying to say is, ignorance is bliss, that is the real issue here.

The R's and D's won't tolerate a third party participating.

a reply to: pheonix358

Do you realize how insane that logic is? Sixty percent of people, a significant majority, believe their vote doesn't matter. How does that make any sense?

We elect our representatives democratically, that means majority rules. The majority has decided not to rule. The majority has come to the conclusion they're incapable of rule because of the minority.

If you don't participate in the 'façade' then you've fallen for the lie that the minority is telling you.

Those that vote aren't the ones being lied to.

a reply to: links234

Think about that for a minute, 63.6% believe they don't make a difference.

And they were right it seems.

What demographic is fooled by the current propaganda? What group isn't?

Fact:

A new Rasmussen Reports national telephone survey finds that just eight percent (8%) of Likely U.S. Voters think Congress is doing a good or excellent job, unchanged from last month. Sixty-two percent (62%) rate Congress' performance as poor.

link

Fact #2

As the Supreme Court begins a new term, more Americans disapprove of its actions than approve, according to new polling by Gallup Inc. Nearly half – 48 percent -- disapprove while 44 percent approve of the way the court is handling its job.

link

Fact #3

WASHINGTON, D.C. -- Americans' confidence in all three branches of the U.S. government has fallen, reaching record lows for the Supreme Court (30%) and Congress (7%), and a six-year low for the presidency (29%). The presidency had the largest drop of the three branches this year, down seven percentage points from its previous rating of 36%.

link


Its easy we are no longer served by our government, only those that truly benefit from it voted. Citizen United was the death blow to the country. What is gonna happen now the majority has no faith in our system?