Millions in Calif. fail to register to vote
By Jim Miller, Sacramento Bee
Zyler Hartman of Sacramento was too young to participate, but he closely followed the campaigns of November 2012, especially the debate over Proposition 37, the ballot measure that would have imposed new labeling requirements on genetically engineered foods.
Hartman is 19 now and could vote in next month’s primary election. But taking the first step – registering to vote – “is just the furthest thing from my mind at the moment,” he said last week near Sacramento City College, where he is taking a full load of classes.
When polls close next month, voter turnout will be the main benchmark of Californians’ election engagement. But missing from the calculation will be millions of Californians who could have voted but did not register.
In a chronic phenomenon of under-enfranchisement in the Golden State, there are at least 6.4 million residents who are eligible to vote but were not on the registration rolls as of early April. California’s registration rate is close to last in the United States, and its legions of eligible but unregistered voters make up a disproportionate share of the nationwide total.
Experts say there are multiple reasons for the shortfall, such as residents here moving more often, bureaucratic hurdles and uncompetitive statewide contests that fail to capture the public’s attention. Whatever the causes, the result is the same: an electorate that is whiter, older and wealthier than the state as a whole and a large share of the population disengaged from the laws and representatives chosen in its name.
Average American voter turnout for recent years is 47%. (Presidential years have better turnouts then Non-Presidential years.)
You can’t sit back and complain if you don’t get up and vote.
The main problem, especially when it comes to canidate selection is that the state is gerrymandered so heavilly to the democrats favor, that there are a rare few contested seats available. That is less so in the local races, but those are kind of boring (other than in EDC). In summary, the Liberals own this state, so why vote?
What state do you live in? Tom McClintock, Darrell Issa, Duncan Hunter, names ring a bell? Gerrymandering is a tool used by Republicans. Democrats received 1.4 million more votes for the House of Representatives, yet Republicans won control of the House by a 234 to 201 margin.
Hey Nasticar59. Noticed anything different since the Democrats were voted into power in California? California has completely turned around from the Arnold years. Why vote 59? So, the CON-artists don’t crawl back out of hiding and try to gain power again.