Voter Participation

Incredible Numbers Of Voters In 2020: Two Thirds Early Of 2016 And Potential For 150-160 Million!

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The Presidential Election of 2020 will see an all time high number of voters participating, potentially 150-160 million!

Amazing that 93 million early voters by November 1 had participated by mail or in person in early voting, two thirds of the entire votes of 2016, which was 137 million people!

It seems likely that the voting percentage will be 60-65 percent, the highest since the Presidential Election of 1908, although the all time high of 82 percent occurred in the Presidential Election of 1876, which was, ironically, the closest Electoral College result of 185-184, after four months of stalemate!

The fact of such massive participation is a victory for American democracy, and would seem clearly to be a vote to oust Donald Trump from the White House!

But we will have to wait until Wednesday morning or a bit later to be certain that is the result!

Turnout And Federal Oversight In States With Voting Restrictions The Key To Democratic Victory In November

Ronald 1 Comment

The biggest obstacle to a Hillary Clinton victory in November is insuring high turnout by African Americans, Latino and Hispanic Americans, young women, college educated men and women, and millennials.

An election requires motivation by voters to come out and vote, and get their friends and family to do so, as well.

Hillary lacks the excitement of Barack Obama, and the charisma of her husband, Bill Clinton, but she is far better qualified than either of them to be President.

So she must work to get people to vote for her as the most equipped of the four candidates—herself, Donald Trump, Gary Johnson, Jill Stein– to be our 45th President.

Additionally, Georgia Congressman John Lewis has called for federal oversight to insure that states that have attempted to promote voter restrictions are prevented from denying people their right to vote, as that could dramatically affect voter turnout as well.

Turnout and federal oversight in states with voting restrictions are crucial, as we cannot allow Donald Trump to become our President, as that would be a never ending nightmare!

Oregon Sets A Higher Standard: Making Voter Registration And Participation Easier, As Other States Make Voter Registration More Difficult!

Ronald 2 Comments

The state of Oregon has set a new and higher standard by making voter registration and participation easier, at a time when other states make voter registration more difficult.

Already allowing all Oregonians to vote by mail, now everyone in Oregon who owns a motor vehicle or has a drivers license will be offered the chance to register to vote automatically, although they have the ability to opt out for 21 days after registration.

But if they do not opt out, they will receive a voter ballot, and can participate in our democratic system of government, although, of course, they can choose not to vote.

The point is that at a time when states are making it more difficult to register and to vote, and lines are long at many voting places, discouraging many from voting, Oregon is putting other states to shame, particularly those in the South and Great Plains, Republican states that work to undermine democracy and do not trust people as being legitimate to have a right to vote.

Oregon was the first state, along with Wisconsin, to set up direct primaries in state elections a century ago, and now Wisconsin has been moving against democracy under Governor Scott Walker.

But Oregon continues to be a paragon of virtue in the concept of encouraging and promoting direct democracy.

So kudos to Oregon as a model for other states, it is hoped, in the future!

Presidential Election Day Should Be A National Holiday To Encourage More Voting!

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America’s Presidential elections are a very important time, occurring once every four years.

It is important enough that there is a need to have the once in four years event become a national holiday, so that as many citizens as possible may participate, while still permitting early voting as well!

Since it is only one day in four years, its economic effect would be minimal, and those who would have to work on that day would be granted time off, either to be able to vote during early election vote days, or three hours off on the actual Election Day, so that everyone would have time to vote.

This would be a major step toward raising the percentage of American voting from what has been normally only a little more than 50 percent, although the percentage reached closer to 60 percent the last two national elections.

As the leader of the free world, the United States should have a participation rate matching that of Western Europe and Japan, more like 75-85 percent!