Sunday, October 14, 2012
Political Participation
Political Participation
The text discusses the reasons for political participation and also gives reasons for the decline in voter turnout in the United States. With this information, formulate a strategy to increase voter participation. Consider target groups, electoral procedures and legal requirements.
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I believe that it is not necessary for political participation. I believe that if someone wants to join in, they should be and not forced into doing it. If a certain minority group wants to be spoken louder, I believe that they should have support from the government to do what they need to achieve there message.
Despite the government passing laws designed to make registering to vote easier (motor-voter law), voting in the United States still pales in comparison to voting percentages in European countries. Belgium enjoys a 83.2% turnout in percentage of voting-age population, compared to 47.2% of the United States. These low rates of registration may indicate that people are reasonably satisfied with how the country is run. If 100% of all adult Americans registered and voted, it could mean people were deeply upset about how things were being run. Nevertheless, it is very important for people to vote.
I think that giving people an incentive to vote will boost turnout. People that vote will receive slight tax breaks that build up every time a new vote is cast by them.
In order to appeal to all people, ballots should be bilingual. I understand this may stir some (or a lot) of controversy, but since America is built on a country of immigrants, I believe ballots should be in different languages. This would allow more people to vote.
Voting machines should also be placed in supermarkets, malls, houses of worship, and other places with high foot traffic.
I do not believe prisoners and illegal aliens should vote. Prisoners have their rights restricted, and aliens aren't suppose to be in this country anyway.
In the past, various forms of strategies masterminded to increase voter participation have not been successful. Rates will only increase when there is dissatisfaction in our leaders.
I feel Political Participation is important for all Americans to understand. We are fortunate enough to have the rights to have some what of a say in our government, voting and rights and also we have the rights to vote. Voting is a big controversial topic among most people but to tell you the truth, voting is what helps our country to grow and improve over the changing times in America. I feel that Voting is what helps the people to have a say, and also what helps the people to choose the leaders they feel will suit their specific needs the best.
Most people do not vote, not because they do not know enough about politics, or are not of age, but because they feel their one vote will not count for anything. But each vote that is given does count and can make a difference in this world. Women were only given the right to vote about 20 or so years ago and i feel women should take that honor and vote.
I feel we can increase voting percentages and participation thought changing ballots. We can have ballots of all languages which will help those who are immigrants in our country. We will be able to suit the needs of people who do not have English as their primary language. We can also have more interaction with the people. We can have more advertisements and more debates showing the opinions of each party. More people will be able to be informed of what each delegate stands for.
I also feel that in house voting with a person coming to your home should be available. This meaning if a person is bedridden or is has a health condition that limits their walking ability outdoors, should also be able to vote, through a representative coming to give them a private ballot in the confides of their own home.
I feel that voting is important and everyone should participate because in the end there will be only one leader, and you want to be able to have a say who is leading your country in the next 4 - 8 years.
I agree with Luciano on the idea of the bilingual voting ballots because we need to suit all the needs of Americans even the immigrants who we allow to come to our country.
To increase political participation, I feel that voting machines should be placed in high traffic areas as Luciano stated. If a voting machine is in a high traffic supermarket, there are bound to be people who will stop by and vote. Maybe if this is the case, the owner of the super market could reward the voter in a way.
Bilingual ballots would also benefit citizens who are immigrants from other countries where English isn't the main language. With bilingual ballots, these immigrants will be able to voice their opinions and know what they are doing.
I feel that low political participation in America is not necessarily a bad thing. For starters, the low percentage of voter turnout may indicate that American people trust their representatives enough to not take an active interest in politics. Indeed, many Americans may not have the time or ability to study individual policies of each candidate, but these same Americans may not want an active role in politics, whether or not they had the time and ability. Children in the American schooling system are raised with the constant idea that America is made of three equal branches of government: the judicial, executive, and legislative; each of which work in harmony with a system of checks and balances. So many Americans understand that whether one candidate becomes president (for example) or not, that candidate will not have enough power or authority to radically change the general public's lives. In other words, whether the president is a liberal or a conservative, there are still two other branches of government that would not allow such extreme policies to reach the public. This same idea may explain the larger voter turnout in other democratic nations. Great Britain, for instance, has a somewhat similar position in their government as the American president: the prime minister. Unlike the president, however, the prime minister carries a disproportional amount of power. For starters, the Prime Minister does not have a limit on the amount of times he/she can be elected. Though an election is held a minimum of once every five years, the Prime Minister can choose to hold elections before or after his/her term is up. Secondly, the Prime Minister is both a legislature and an executor. Indeed, while Congress needs a 2/3 majority to bring a bill to the president’s desk, a Prime Minister may simply reflect the ideals of the political party he/she represents exactly. In short, voters in the UK may vote more frequently because there is more at stake.
I disagree with some of the points Luciano made. I would not necessarily look to increase voter turnout radically through the use of tax-breaks because it would encourage false results. People who currently vote obviously have incentives to vote, whether those incentives are educated or not. If Americans receive tax breaks for voting, American citizens will tend to vote simply to receive the tax break and not because they actually support the candidate. Additionally, I feel that uneducated voting is worse than not voting at all and can lead to unpopular legislation.
I would enact more subtle methods to increase voter effectiveness or voter turnout:
-Increase a presidential term to 6 years so that a president can calmly push for their policies without having to worry about reelection after two years.
-Make voting more readily available, if possible: through the internet.
-Provide bilingual polls or ballots.
- Provide readily available clear unpartisan facts through federal websites that clearly indicate each candidates economic, social and political views so that voters are not unfairly drawn to either candidate through partisan news networks.
I agree with Luciano's statement regarding putting polls in high- traffic areas.
It is unfortunate that so many people do not vote, voters should be informed of the consequences. If more, let's say adult women voted, then candidates would focus on women problems. Since the elderly are among the majority of voters, they are getting most of the focus.
I also believe the voting age should be lowered. I believe ages sixteen and up should be able to vote. I truly believe that at this age, students are much more educated on the issues than others, so I feel we should have a say in voting.
In addition, I agree with Luciano's idea about giving the voters an incentive. Once you start the people on voting, they will make a habit of it.
I believe that political participation is necessary because we take for granted our rights to participate in government. Many other nations and many other people still do not have the rights that we have and they would love to have the freedom and and voice that the nations founders fought for . I think to increase voting it should be made more accessible for example through perhaps texting or even the internet because not all are able to access polling site. I also agree with Brianna Fellner that the voting age should be decreased because even in school i feel the students are more into politics than some of the adults and its also good to get a fresh young thoughts on politics.
Nonvoters are typically those who are younger, and less educated about the voting process, and those who feel like their vote doesn't make a difference in the election. I think there should be a gimmick to draw people in to voting. To motivate voters, the candidates should appeal more to the people and make them feel that their voice counts.
I think the election process should also take place over a longer period of time, like a week for example. Another reason that people may not vote is because it is inconvenient for them on a specific day. Also, voting stations can get crowded and some people may not feel comfortable in such a large crowd. I agree with Luciano, that ballots should be placed in public places that are easy to get to, and can be widely scattered. Although it might be hard to find enough people to keep track of the ballots, it could bring more people out to vote.
I think the legal requirements should stay the same. Lowering the voting age will probably not bring more voters, because the youngest age group has the lowest voter turnout. The lower the age, the more people there will be that don't vote even though they have the right to.
A lot of people feel that it someone's duty to vote, I disagree, I think it someone's right. However I do feel it is an incredible shame when someone doesn't vote because they "do not care". On the other hand, a lot of people feel that there is no point because their vote won't make a difference, however each vote adds up and if there was a stale mate between electoral colleges, the popular vote would be the one making the decision. Also, I think it's good to voice your opinion and support your candidate of choice.
I think there is a vast number of people who are uninformed and just go by things they hear from other people or see on the internet. If there was a way to better inform these people so that they felt more educated on the subject, they would probably have a stronger desire to vote.
In addition I agree with Luciano. I think that more people would vote if the voting polls were strategically placed in high traffic areas such as malls, place of worship, supermarkets, etc..
I believe that if someone is given a certain right, such as the right to vote, they should take full advantage of that right. I feel in order to increase voter participation, the means to vote should be made simpler and more efficient. For one, I believe there should be a system where people are able to vote from home, especially for the elderly or the disabled. If someone is not capable of leaving their home to vote, the internet should be used to encourage voters and even may decrease lines at the voting locations. In addition, from what I have heard from my parent's voting experience, the actual ballot is confusing to fill out, which may discourage voters for the future. The ballot should be made simpler and easier for all to read, including multiple languages. I feel if voting procedures were made easier for the elderly, disabled, and immigrants who may not speak English well, the voter turnout would increase more. Also, many eligible voters feel as if their vote does not make much of a difference, leading them to not bother to vote. Politicians and certain groups should show how every vote counts, and encourage every citizen to make a difference.
While it is important to take advantage of your rights and privileges given to you, I agree with Jonathan Mui in that it is the person's choice to want to vote, and they should not feel forced into something. However, these people lose the right to complain about things not being done, in that voting allows their voices to be heard.
Most Americans will not vote because they don’t understand politics or they don’t believe that their vote will not make a difference. Others are just lazy. I believe that Americans rely too much on those around them to make decisions. Those people end up to be the people that complain the most about our system.
Legal requirements for voting should stay the same. People younger then 18 might not be educated enough to vote or will vote for the wrong reasons.
I agree with Luciano that bilingual ballots would increase voting participation. Posting ballots in more populated public areas may increase participation.
It has been shown that many Americans, especially now, do not believe that their vote will make a difference. Some have even called for changes in the way voting counts. Many claim that the popular vote does not count for anything, and they have even called for radical ideas such as changing that portion of the Constitution all together and creating a presidential election based on popular votes, rather than electoral votes. Although this may be needed in the near future, as times are changing,voters still need to be educated to know that their vote does count, especially in local elections, which in my opinion, affect them more than national elections.
To make voters more interested in voting, I believe presidential debates should be changed. They are usually between republican and democrat candidates. Hence, many believe they are limited to only two choices for president, and as a result, they end up not voting at all. The debate should include third party candidates as well, which would give voters a larger choice of candidates, increasing their interest in the campaign. These campaigns should be offered in other languages on different channels, appealing to eligible voters whose native language is not English.
I totally agree with Mona, since voting from home would make voting extremely modern, accessible, and easy. More people who do not have the time to vote, or are unable to due to a handicap, would be able to use online voting to their advantage- accessibility would surely increase voter participation.
People in the United States don't vote for many reasons. For instance, some people do not vote because they do not understand politics and do not keep up with political news and elections. Others do not vote because they feel that their vote will not make a difference so they do not even bother to vote. Still others do not vote simply because they do not care.
There are several things that can be done to increase Americans' political participation. For starters, a solution to Jacklyn Chin's suggested problem of bedridden citizens and of Maggie Bajek's problem of lazy citizens, an online voting poll can be created. If voters have the ability to vote online, then they will not need to leave their house to participate in elections. This may increase voter turnouts because this task does not require as much time and effort as going to a specific location and physically voting at a poll. I agree with Luciano Triolo's idea to make polls at high tarrif locations and with Brian Bodziuch's idea of presenting an award to people who choose to vote. This will aso increase voter turnouts because people would be more likely to stop by a high tariff place especially if there is a reward presented for voting. These two methods will target groups that are sick (bedridden or unable to walk), lazy and busy people, and the general common people who would normally be stopping at the high tariff places anyway.
However, if people truly do not care, then they should not be forced to vote. This is why I agree with Jonathan Mui's idea that if people do not want to be politically active and participate, it is their choice and no one should argue with them. America is great in the fact that the people have the freedom to choose whether or not they want to have political participation. If someone wants to speak out, they can, but just the same if they do not want to speak at all, it is their choice. Additionally, if people do not participate in politics, it could be a sign that they trust the government which is a good thing.
I also agree with Jackie Hanna that legal requirements should remain the same.
Some Americans do not believe that their vote will make a difference. Some people do not vote because they do not understand politics. Some people don't go since the voting machine is out of the way This is a terrible thing since people do not voice their opinion and then these people complain about who got elected as president.
I agree with luciano that if voting machines are put in high traffic more people will go to vote since is wont be out of the way thus it will be easier to vote.
Some Americans do not believe that their vote will make a difference. Some people do not vote because they do not understand politics. Some people don't go since the voting machine is out of the way This is a terrible thing since people do not voice their opinion and then these people complain about who got elected as president.
I agree with luciano that if voting machines are put in high traffic more people will go to vote since is wont be out of the way thus it will be easier to vote.
Some Americans believe that their vote wont matter so they dont go out in vote. They believe this because they know that electoral college will pick the president. Others are lazy and believe that one vote wont make a difference from who will be the president. Most of the people who dont vote are usually young and uneducated.
I agree with Luciano, to increase the number of people voting they should put voting machines in highly populated areas. I also believe they should give something to the people who vote like maybe a snickers bar.
Political Participation should be a lot higher in our country because many countries do not have such rights and as much of a say in their government as we do in America.
I think that the reason for our relatively low percentage of voters can be due to the fact that some Americans believe that their vote is insignificant because of the electoral college for example and the fact that the present can win electoral votes but lose in popular votes.
I also agree with Matt. People can be too lazy to go out and vote, and others may not be voting because they do not keep up with politics and our political candidates.
I think that popular vote should have a heavier weigh on the outcome of the election or states should divide the electoral votes for each candidate and not give one candidate all of the electoral votes from that specific state. Many times, the states have very close percentages such as 48% for Republicans and 52% for Democrats. The electoral votes should be divided evenly.
Voting should also be more accessible for the younger population of voters. For example, grade school students that are generally under the age of 18 have the day off from school, but what about the college students who are actually old enough to vote? College students should either be given the day off as well, or they should be allowed to vote in their school. Maybe even a voting schedule...
Participation is essential and if more people vote, then maybe they won't be complaining about the issues they have with current the president.
Voting is what helps our country improve because it allows the people voice their opinions and choose the leaders they feel that would match majority of their needs. However, although the people know that voting can determine their future, they do not vote because they are not informed about politics as much as those who are actively involved with political elites. There is nothing wrong with the current legal requirement for voting, but there should be a change to increase voter participation.
Like Luciano Triolo mentioned, America is built on a country of immigrants. Sometimes, Immigrants lack the information on where to go and vote, or don’t know much about political candidates. Therefore, more interaction with those whose primary language is not English is crucial. I know many immigrant families(who naturalized into American citizens), who were confused when President Obama won the election a few weeks ago; unfortunately, some people do not know about the Electoral College and how the election works. Therefore, there should be a large event in each community a few days prior to the election informing what each party stands for by using an easily comprehendible chart; if possible, the representatives from the event should actively go around on Election Day, and allow the people to have private ballots in their house. All American citizens should participate because their future leader and future decisions could affect their future.
Voter turnouts have been declining because people feel that their vote won't make a difference or because they feel that they do not know enough about each candidate.
To increase voter turnout, I first believe that each voting area should offer free cookies and hot beverages as an incentive to lure more people to vote. Although this may being more people, most likely, the majority of the people will not know who or what they are voting for. To solve this problem, I force the people, with their cookies and beverages, to wait in a room filled with monitors and have the monitors play a ten minute segment that impartially informs the people of each candidate and their policies. That way, not only will there be an influx of people, but they will also be well educated on the spot and hopefully, will make a wise decision from there.
I agree with Brianna in that the voting age should be lowered because that will increase the voter turnout. Also, most teenagers are more educated on candidates than adults, and would therefore make an educated decision accordingly. Lowering the voting age also draws attention to the political needs of the younger generations, such as schooling and education. Politicians will address these issues to gain more votes.
There are many strategies to improve voter participation. I think election day should be a national holiday- after all, the nation votes for their representatives. Both of my parents are work during the day and they don't have time to stop by a voting area. Perhaps incentives will work, like providing food or drink at the ballot polls after a long day of waiting and voting, or giving out freebies (election t-shirts!! :D ) will help increase voter turnout. No one denies freebies.
I agree with Luciano's idea of bilingual/multilingual ballots because the immigrants make up a lot of the population and their votes would count for a lot.
An increase in voter participation is necessary, but only if the people know what they are voting for. I would actually prefer it if only people who were educated in politics be allowed to vote. They don not have to be experts, but they should have an idea of what is going on in politics. I do not want people who do not know anything to vote, because their reasoning behind their votes would be ridiculous. There are people who voted for Romney just because he was white. There were people who voted for Obama just because he was black. These reasons are ludicrous, and should not be valid reasons for an individual's vote. An American citizen should vote for a candidate because he/she feel like a certain candidate could run the country better than the other candidates in the race.
I do agree with Luciano, that there should be ballots in different languages. Even if someone who was not born in America has the ability to understand English, there is still the possibility that the ballot may be frustrating for them. If it was made in their language, however, it would give them an easier time to understand the ballot and vote. Also, it would allow people who are not perfectly fluent in English to feel more comfortable with voting, and more people would be willing to come out to vote as well.
i believe that in order to increase political participation the government ought to increase the areas in which voting polls are located such as libraries, bus or train stations, or even supermarkets. Having polls taken at these places will be sufficient in receiving everyone's vote for they are the most visited and public areas. Also, voters would become more aware of their options which will furthermore increase the political participation in the years to come.
I think voter participation could be increased by adding more voting machines in the locations that Luciano mentioned. However, voters should have to prove that they are informed enough to express their political ideologies. A voter's political intelligence could be perhaps tested by a simple quiz about the candidate they are voting for before the vote is officially counted. This way, candidates will win because voters actually understand and support their beliefs, rather than unimportant reasons for victory.
To increase voter participation you need to access them where they will get the information. use social media such as Facebook and twitter to post polling sites and news on the candidates so they could form a credible decision. If voters know where to go and are at least knowledgeable of their candidates on the issues, then they are much more likely to turn out than if they were misinformed or just felt like it would not matter.
The main reason for our country's low voter turnout is, in my opinion, the apathetic attitude many Americans have because they believe that their vote does not count for anything, since a presidential candidate can win an election with or without the popular vote. So I do not blame these people, because in the end, their vote really doesn't matter. The electoral college is what counts. The only sure way I could think of to increase voter turnout is make the the popular vote the vote that counts, not the electoral college.
Slight tax cuts, as Luciano proposed sounds like a good idea, but can the government really afford to give EVERYBODY who votes a tax break, even a small one? It'll add up and become expensive quickly.
I agree with Maggie. Not many people know much about politics which causes them not to care much about elections. They may think that their vote does not matter or they may not have enough of an opinion to base their vote off of. I believe the best way to counter this is to increase peoples knowledge of the government. In many schools history courses are taken which are important but many of them do not teach kids about current issues. If it was mandatory for people to learn about the government at a younger age they would be less confused by it and there would be a smaller chance of them becoming discouraged to vote. I also agree with Luciano that there should be voting booths in high traffic areas because many people will decide not to vote because it inconveniences them. If votying could be done along with the daily activities more people would do it.
To increase voter participation the government should encourage the voters and tell them how important their vote is and how it might influene the election. They should present the benefits of voting to all different target groups. The Government should also, use the media to encourage people to be more involved with partiipating in the government's politics.
I agree with Mariham as, she said that the reason for the non-participation in the eletion is because they don't know the importance of their vote. Her idea of bringing cookies and bevereges is also, a good idea because it forces the people to listen to the presentation in a nice and creative way.
To increase voter turn out, we should impose a small fee on those who do not vote. This fee would be about $20 so it will not be devastating to a low income family, but would encourage voting. I would also make it easier to register to vote and use absentee ballots,so that people who want to vote can and avoid the fee. This fee would also be beneficial to the government. The money would add up quickly and could be used to reduce the deficit.
I disagree with Justina. I do not believe that simply telling someone "Your vote counts." will make him vote.
I believe that Political Participation isnt necessary. Although everyone has the right the vote it doesnt mean they MUST vote. Those who care enough about the issues brought up during each election are what matter the most. There are many different reasons for the decline of voter turnout one of those being an increased distrust in the government. Many feel that their vote doesnt count (especially during the presidential election) therefore they do not have the incentive to vote
I completely disagree with Lucianos suggestion of receiving a tax break for voting. It is someones right to vote and they shouldnt be allowed to have some sort of "loophole" just to get them to vote. If they want to vote fine and if they do not that is fine as well. What i do agree with Luciano with is the input of a bilingual ballot. The country is not predominantly English, it does not even have a designated language, therefore there should be a multitude of language on our ballot. The adding of other languages on ballots can most definitely increase voter turnout
I believe voter turnout in America should be much higher than it is. Due to the difficulties of registration, education requirements, length of residency, and other obstacles, Americans may not want to be bothered with voting. In addition, I agree with Maggie. Many citizens are uniformed about politics. They may feel their votes do not count for much either. Especially in presidential elections, due to the electoral college.
To increase people's political knowledge, I believe that schools should begin to teach kids about current political issues rather than focus only on history. From personal experience, I can say that I was incredibly uninformed about current politics until I reached highschool. Political science must be taught to kids at a younger age to increase their political understanding. I also think that registration should be automatic upon recieving US citizenship. This will eliminate the added obstacle of having to take the time just to sign up to vote.
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