In America there electoral system resembles a modified version of the British first past the post system therefore if you live in an electoral college that has voted Democrat time and time again, it may seem like a wasted vote if you support the Republicans. Also the success polls that are conducted from the very first primaries and caucuses right up to election day build voter apathy. Statistically those who do higher in these polls the better they will do in the election, assuming that people vote without partisan alignment, they aren’t going to vote for a candidate who is unlikely to do well in the election.
The US voting system includes voter registration, controlled at a state level, often it is a longwinded process, with many forms, and a lot of scrutiny over who gets to register. There are various restrictions in who can register, often convicted criminals cannot vote, and in some extremes neither can there families e.g. California in the 2000 election. Rules vary from state to state, some allow registration 28 days before election time and others allow registration on the day of the election e.g. Wisconsin. Statistics show that in states where there is election day registration turnout is ten percentage points higher than in those without. Despite these figures there has sill been an overall decline in voter turnout over the last thirty years, Research suggests that modified registration laws could increase turnout by up to 9%. A recent addition to voter registration is the ‘motor voter’ system, this is a system where people have the opportunity to vote when they register a drivers liscence.
Disbelief and distrust in American Presidents is another factor in voter turnout from Richard Nixons ‘I am not a crook’ statement to Bill Clinton’s famous ‘I did not have sexual relations with that woman’ quote. Others believe that major political events over the last thirty years have led to a decline in voter participation such as the Vietnam war, Watergate, the Raegan administration and Bill Clintons impeachment. The question on everyone’s lips now is what effect will the recent events in Iraq have on voter turnout, will the controversy over weapons of mass destruction lead to another fall in trust and turnout or will the way Bush handled September the 11th rebuild support amongst communities.
Whereas once parties and candidates used to promote themselves and what they were standing for now its clear to see that candidates are painting such grim pictures of the opposition its difficult to pick a candidate and the public are left with no resource but not to vote.
All these factors add up to the decline in votes in America, to resolve the issue they are going to have to come up with some major reforms, such as voting on the internet and mail voting.
