Is low turnout the problem? Or is it a symptom of the problem?
November 7, 2006| By Nathaniel Ward
The Associated Press has released a new analysis of why American voter turnout is lower than in some other countries. The article points out that measures to make voting more convenient, like early voting or no-excuse absentee ballots, haven’t worked to increase turnout. “We know that it isn't procedure because we’ve constantly made procedure easier and voter turnout has gone down,” says one analyst quoted in the article.
Even the much-vaunted Motor Voter law—which sought to streamline voter registration even as it paved the way for a new round of voter fraud—hasn’t done much to encourage participation. According to the AP survey, many of those who haven’t registered to vote “had not done so because they lacked the time, had not gotten around to it, had no confidence in politicians or just did not care.”
So what is the problem? It seems the decline of civil society is very much at fault here. A recent poll of non-voters, the article explains, “found that nonvoters are not just disconnected from politics, but also from their communities. Nonvoters were less likely to trust others, to have a strong support network of friends and family or to know their neighbors than regular voters were.”
Another part of the problem may be that Americans today are ill-educated in the rights, privileges, duties and responsibilities of citizenship. Heritage scholar Matthew Spalding wrote earlier this year about the importance of ensuring new immigrants are fully engaged in American civic culture. “Republican government and ordered liberty—not to mention the articulation of common political principles—require clear communication, mutual deliberation and civic education.” Unfortunately, these principles seem to be as lacking for existing citizens as they are for the would-be citizens about which he was writing. Restoring these principles and recommitting to the ideals of the Founders is a vital task for today’s Americans.
Nathaniel Ward is the Editor of MyHeritage.org—a website for members and supporters of The Heritage Foundation.
