Leaders Are Chosen

 

Republican's control on the election process can change America's vote.

Leaders are chosen.  But limited specific policy information or influence lingers because elections involve a diverse range of factors.  The latest Republicans’ win for decisive control on the elections process in several battleground states may affect our nation’s nonpartisan elections administration, election results approval, and transfers of power.  Can the Republican nominees for secretary of state and governor change how millions of Americans vote?

 

Modern democracies have expanded to get citizens involved in elections.  Voting was once restricted to property owners and long residency was required.  U.S. was one of the first to set suffrage laws free.

 

Voting rates are higher in European nations especially Germany—Bundestag elections have 80% electorate cast their ballots and 70-90% British House of Commons and French National Assembly elections are cast.

 

Voter turnout has generally dropped across national borders.  Descending American turnout in the past 40 years has worsened U.S. voter turnouts.  Some analysts say it is evidence of American electorate’s limited political involvement. 

 

Voter registration system and other electorate procedures strongly influence this turnout.  Will the Republicans significantly affect the election process by eliminating mail voting, ballot drop boxes, and using electronic voting machines? 

 

Americans have to register to vote and many eligible voters fail to do this simple act.  American participation in elections would increase by at least 10 percentage points if European system were adopted.  European system automatically includes the registered voters on the roster updated by the government.  So a larger percentage of the European public is registered to participate in elections.  European elections are also scheduled on weekends that encourage more voters to visit the polls. 

 

European election systems are based on proportional representation than plurality-based single member districts in U.S.  Proportional representation stimulates turnout by allowing any party—large or small—to increase its representation in the legislature as a direct working if its share of the population vote. 

 

Incentives have to be given to vote.  The number of party choices and framework of legislation power in a system may directly influence turnout.  Europeans have greater potential to make significant political choices than American elections.

 

American government asks its citizens to vote on far more matters.  The typical European voter casts 2 or 3 ballots in a 4-yr period.  Americans face a dozen or more separate elections in 4-yr intervals.  Americans are expected to vote for a wider range of political offices.  The extensive list of elected offices and long ballots common in American elections are unknown in Western Europe.  As a matter of fact, direct democracy tools such as referendum and initiatives are used sparingly in Britain, France, and German politics.

 

American political system places uncommon demands on its voters—casting decisions on political offices, government bond and tax proposals, and policy initiatives.  Voting in low-information contests such as a local nonpartisan office is a big challenge for American voters. 

 

Elections should not be treated as a policy mandate because they assess relative support for broader programs and not specific policies.  An electorate cannot be assured that his key policy options are represented in an election or the government will follow the policies in the period between elections.  People vote because of a sense of civic duty, getting involved in a campaign, or to express political or partisan support than to influence policy.

 

What about the effects of sweeping Republican’s nominees as secretary of state and governor that changes the upcoming ballots?  My opinion is this:  it may affect the aged group.  Turnout significantly increases with age especially in U.S., Britain, and France.  Nearly 80% of Americans in their fifties claim to vote compared to about 60% among 20-yr-olds.  Growth in age comes with the added responsibility of children and ownership of property which impels people to cast their votes with age.

 

 

Social isolation and decline of a sense of community contribute to decreasing voter turnout.  Unions are weakly related to U.S. participation coupled with restrictive registration requirement that creates a serious participation gap in social groups.  Our system may limit participation of the poor and the less-educated.  U.S. can show up to involve more social groups in American politics.       

 

The limits of voting has led some to claim that focusing on mass participation on voting allows parties and political elites to seek to protect their privileged position in the policy workings and limit citizen influence.  Voting still remains as a symbolic value as for its instrumental influence on policy.  Political organizations can mobilize citizens into action.  Political parties are less active in bringing people to the polls and campaigns.  The unhappy voters of the political process lead to decreased involvement in politics.  People doubt the efficacy of their action.  So fewer people involve others into political participation.  Voting still binds the individual to the political systems.  It legitimizes the workings of our democracy.  So choose your leader at the next election.