My Spin: Do We Want More People to Vote or Not?
If we truly believe that our system works best when the largest number participate, we can no longer ignore Unaffiliated voters.
By Tom Campbell
One of the cornerstones of America’s Democratic Republic is our right to elect those who would lead us. And in almost every election, whether municipal, statewide or national, there are orchestrated Get Out the Vote campaigns urging all registered voters to exercise their constitutional right to vote. We have traditionally believed that the larger the number who vote, the more likely we will choose good leaders.
Our state and nation have implemented measures to encourage voting, including voting by mail, early voting prior to election day and curbside voting for those with mobility issues. In 2020, our state turnout for the presidential election was 75.35%, the highest since the 1972 election. The 2024 presidential turnout declined to 73.73%.
But some recent events have raised doubts about whether we really want more people to vote.
