Why Many Americans Fail to Vote in Elections

Why dont more people  vote? Lets ask them. The California Voter Foundation (CVF) has released the results of a statewide survey on the attitudes of infrequent voters and citizens eligible to vote but not registered. The first-of-its-kind survey sheds new light on the incentives and barriers to voting, along with the sources of information that influence people when they do vote. Voter turnout is the percentage of eligible voters who cast a ballot in an election. Since the 1980s voter turnout has been decreasing steadily in the United States, as well as most other democratic countries worldwide. Political scientists generally attribute falling voter turnout to a combination of disillusionment, indifference, or a sense of futility – the feeling that an individual’s vote will not make a difference.   â€Å"For election officials and others working to maximize voter participation, these survey results provide clear direction on the messages most likely to get infrequent voters to participate in the upcoming election, and on the messages that will motivate more nonvoters to register,† stated the CVF, noting that there are 6.4 million Californians who are eligible but unregistered to vote. It Just Takes Too Long â€Å"Too long† is in the eye of the  waiter. Some people will stand in line for two days to buy the latest, greatest cell phone or concert tickets. But many of the same people will not wait 10 minutes to exercise their right to choose their government leaders. Besides, a 2014 GAO report suggests it doesn’t really take â€Å"too long† to vote. Just Too Busy The survey found that 28% of infrequent voters and 23% of those unregistered said they do not vote or do not register to vote because they are too busy. â€Å"This tells us that many Californians may benefit from more information about the time-saving advantages of early voting and voting by absentee ballot,† the CVF  said. Voter registration forms are available in post offices, libraries and the  Department of Motor Vehicle  offices in most states. The CVF said the survey’s findings might also benefit those campaigns trying to reach infrequent and new voters in advance of the election. The perception that politicians are controlled by special interests is widely shared among two-thirds of the survey’s respondents and represents a significant barrier to voter participation. A feeling that candidates don’t really speak to them was cited as the second leading reason why infrequent voters and nonvoters do not vote. Even Non-Voters Say Voting is Important Still, 93% of infrequent voters agreed that voting is an important part of being a good citizen and 81% of nonvoters agreed it is an important way to voice their opinions on issues that affect their families and communities. â€Å"Civic duty and self-expression provide strong incentives to get potential voters to the polls, despite pervasive cynicism about the influence of special interests,† said the organization. Family and Friends Encourage Others to Vote The survey found that family and friends influence how infrequent voters decide to vote as much as daily newspapers and TV news. Among infrequent voters, 65 percent said conversations with their families and local newspapers were influential sources of information when it comes to making voting decisions. Network TV news rated as influential among 64%, followed by cable TV news at 60%, and conversations with friends at 59%. For more than half of the infrequent voters surveyed, phone calls and door-to-door contact by political campaigns are not influential sources of information when deciding how to vote. The survey also found that family upbringing plays a strong role in determining voting habits as adults. 51% of nonvoters surveyed said they grew up in families that did not often discuss political issues and candidates. Who are the Non-Voters? The survey found that nonvoters are disproportionately young, single, less educated and more likely to be of an ethnic minority than infrequent and frequent voters. 40% of nonvoters are under 30 years old, compared to 29% of infrequent voters and 14% of frequent voters. Infrequent voters are much more likely to be married than nonvoters, with 50% of infrequent voters married compared to only 34% of nonvoters. 76% of nonvoters have less than a college degree, compared to 61% of infrequent voters and 50% of frequent voters. Among nonvoters, 54% are white or Caucasian compared to 60% of infrequent voters and 70% of frequent voters. Voter Turnout in 2018 Soared   On a positive note, voter turnout in November 2018 reached the highest level of any midterm election in over a century. According to the non-partisan, non-profit United States Elections Project, 49.3% of all eligible voters cast more than 116 million ballots nationwide. It was the best turnout since 1914 when 50.4% voted and surpassed the previous high turnout of 48.7% in 1966.   Better yet, 2018 reversed a troubling downward turnout trend. Turnout in the 2010 midterms was 41.8% before dropping to a miserable 36.7% in 2014—the lowest since 1942.   Of course, voter turnout in midterm elections will always lag far behind that of presidential election years. For example, in 2012, when President Obama was elected to his second term, the turnout was 58.6%. Turnout then jumped to 60.1% in 2016, when Republican Donald Trump defied the polls to be elected president over Democrat Hillary Clinton after an especially contentious campaign.

Book Report On The Dragons Table - 1912 Words

They were two days into their trip to the Dragon s Table when Chrom noticed a group of cacti he was sure they d passed before. He remembered, because it was near where they d set up camp for lunch the previous day and Sumia had nearly tripped into one. Robin, he said after a second, turning his head to look at the tactician, who was holding the map with an air of confidence, are we doubling back on our route? Hm? Robin looked up, peering into the endless desert as if he could tell one way from the other there. Of course not. It s just that I m sure we ve been this way before, he said, indicating the cacti--which, surely Robin would remember that too? Impossible, was the firm declaration. It s just a similar plant,†¦show more content†¦It s just...I think we...might be...lost? He hadn t actually seen Robin ever give someone a look like that, with the exception of someone he was about to draw a Thoron tome on. We are not lost. We have a map. He peered over at the map, and suddenly noticed something their mapping sessions at night times hadn t quite conveyed to him. ...Do you know where we are on the map? Silence. The temperature seemed to drop about fifteen degrees around them, which was actually rather refreshing. Of course I do, Robin said finally, the same frost in his tone. Feeling as though he was pointlessly jumping in front of a blow, Chrom plowed on recklessly. Do you know where the Dragon s Table is on the map? More silence. There was a very slight tinge of pink to Robin s cheeks now. Well... All right. Find the nearest village then. Chrom sighed. I had hoped to do this without alerting the Plegians in any way, but it looks like we ll need to ask directions. We don t need directions, was the immediate objection. We have a map. Is the Dragon s Table on the map? he asked warily. Of course it... Robin trailed off. That s not the point! We ll find it. Look, we don t need directions. How are we going to find it if we have no idea where it is? Chrom demanded. It s not even on the map, so we need directions. Do you trust the map, Chrom? What? At some point, he had become as lost as he knew they

Pythia (the Oracle of Delphi) Free Essays

Portrait of a Priestess By: Joan Breton Connelly The historical figure referred to as the â€Å"Oracle of Delphi,† in ancient writings by Aeschylus, Aristotle, Diogenes, Euripides, Herodotus, Plato, Plutarch, and Sophocles, was the â€Å"Pythia,† or â€Å"Priestess† of the temple of Apollo at Delphi; located in a cave on mount Parnassus, beneath the caspian Spring. The Pythia was a respectable position for a women among the ancient greeks. Several women were selected to succeed the position of Pythia over the span of the temples practice from 1,400 BC-393 A. We will write a custom essay sample on Pythia (the Oracle of Delphi) or any similar topic only for you Order Now D. I will be focussing on one in particular, whose experience changes the requirements of the position. The Pythia was known for her prophetic visions, said to to be inspired by the God Apollo. Ancient from all around Greece would travel to Delphi in hopes to hear a prophecy from the Pythia that be would be reflect favorable on their future. The myth was that the fumes from the Caspian Spring inspired her visions. Three male priests would accompany her, and interpret her hysterical, unintelligible babble to the visitors. Modern historians and scientists theorize that a hallucinogenic gas from a seismic crack in the mountain intoxicated her, and was the cause of her erratic behavior. However, scientist extensive scientific research has been performed on the location and been found contradictory and inconclusive on both sides. There is no documented procedure on how they selected the Pythia, but it is assumed that she was selected upon the death of her predecessor and chosen from a guild of priestesses. She was always a young, respectable virgin, native to the area. Once she was selected she had to leave her family, forfeit her personal identity, and sever all communication with those she’d previously known. The benefits were that she would receive monetary compensation, position, attend public events, and own her property. They also appeared to select women upon aptitude rather than position in society. One Pythia could be well education and aristocratic, and another could be from the working class. At the Height of the Temples popularity there were up to three Pythias in residents. They would alternate between sessions, because the activity left them exhausted and delirious. It was said that the Pythias life was shortened from the strenuous occupation. After an incident where a Pythias was been attacked and killed for giving unfavorable prophecies, they increased the number. The Pythia I’m choosing served in 300AD, she was attacked and raped in the temple. Upon this incident the priests were forced to make a decision on the policy of the requirements of a priestess, because she was no longer a virgin. They changed the policy which opened the opportunity up to married women as well. I would like to write about this incident, because she was not only violated, but in jeopardy of losing her job, being exiled, and possibly killed. Once a year the Pythia would undergo a cleansing ritual, where she would bathe in the Caspian Stream. The procedure was extremely detailed and strict. I think this would be an awesome incident to write my monologue about. The importance and specificity of the ritual makes it an important event in her life. Also bathing in the toxic spring could also present an interesting opportunity to intoxication, and visions. The Pythias personal life, (I can only imagine) was one of deep sadness and extortion. She may have had high hopes for the position, she may not have wanted to serve at all, but it was not a position that would be socially acceptable to refuse. Not only did she have to lose her family and her identity, but she had to forfeit any chance of getting married and having children. She was in a temple, that was essentially a converted cave, and constantly hyped up on hallucinogens. It was basically an ancient form of prostitution. The temple made money off of her â€Å"prophecies† while her mind and body was slowly destroyed from abuse. The danger of attack, rape and death were very real to her in everyday life. I can only imagine the state of her mind, and her misery. She was dealt a hand that appeared glamorous from the outside, but was misleading. The source of the Pythias visions remain a mystery, which I find both exciting and troubling. If it were true that the woman selected to be Pythia received divine visions from the God Apollo my conjecture about her personal life would differ greatly than if she were a drugged, captive woman who was forced to live a desolate life. I think the mystery of the Pythia, is what makes it so intriguing even to this day. How to cite Pythia (the Oracle of Delphi), Papers