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| Does Your Vote Really Count? by: Herndon L. Davis |
What do the late Gov. George Wallace, President Theodore Roosevelt along with H. Ross Perot, and
Ralph Nader all have in common? All four men have run for president on an independent political
ticket, each garnering enough percentage of the popular vote to make a difference in the direction of
American politics.
Hence, as we celebrate Independence Day and move into this year’s mid-term elections and soon the
2008 presidential elections, once again there are grumblings from dissatisfied voters wanting a political
change plus a growing frustration with America’s winner-take-all Electoral College process.
Could creating a viable third political party be the key in restoring faith in the American political
process not to mention putting into office more effective leadership? Or instead could creating a
proportional representation electoral system where runner-up candidates are also allowed
representation be the solution?
Ralph Nader all have in common? All four men have run for president on an independent political
ticket, each garnering enough percentage of the popular vote to make a difference in the direction of
American politics.
Hence, as we celebrate Independence Day and move into this year’s mid-term elections and soon the
2008 presidential elections, once again there are grumblings from dissatisfied voters wanting a political
change plus a growing frustration with America’s winner-take-all Electoral College process.
Could creating a viable third political party be the key in restoring faith in the American political
process not to mention putting into office more effective leadership? Or instead could creating a
proportional representation electoral system where runner-up candidates are also allowed
representation be the solution?
| Third Party Challenges |
Often considered to be a “wasted vote,” third parties are also considered to be “spoilers” for candidates in both the democratic and
republican parties. H. Ross Perot gathered 19% of the popular vote in 1992, possibly helping Bill Clinton to secure the presidency with
only a 43% plurality of the vote.
Ralph Nader is credited with possibly costing Al Gore the presidency in the 2000 elections with there being only 600 popular votes
separating him and George W. Bush.
However, both the democratic and republican parties have also used third party candidates to their advantage as well by encouraging
them to run in order to pull votes away from the other’s party.
However, according to political experts, for a third party to truly become a seriously viable contender, it must overcome the following
obstacles:
1. Become more broad-based covering many issues versus being single issue-based or simply personality driven.
2. Raise extensive capital in order to qualify to be placed on state ballots and to secure the necessary qualifying signatures.
3. Create more media attention as to its existence, its stand on the issues, and aggressively recruit new members in order to grow its
base.
These three barriers to entry are often hard to overcome for fledgling political groups, but it isn’t a feat that’s totally out of reach given
the rise of technology, specifically through the use of the internet.
republican parties. H. Ross Perot gathered 19% of the popular vote in 1992, possibly helping Bill Clinton to secure the presidency with
only a 43% plurality of the vote.
Ralph Nader is credited with possibly costing Al Gore the presidency in the 2000 elections with there being only 600 popular votes
separating him and George W. Bush.
However, both the democratic and republican parties have also used third party candidates to their advantage as well by encouraging
them to run in order to pull votes away from the other’s party.
However, according to political experts, for a third party to truly become a seriously viable contender, it must overcome the following
obstacles:
1. Become more broad-based covering many issues versus being single issue-based or simply personality driven.
2. Raise extensive capital in order to qualify to be placed on state ballots and to secure the necessary qualifying signatures.
3. Create more media attention as to its existence, its stand on the issues, and aggressively recruit new members in order to grow its
base.
These three barriers to entry are often hard to overcome for fledgling political groups, but it isn’t a feat that’s totally out of reach given
the rise of technology, specifically through the use of the internet.
| More Political Party Choices |
Outside of the two-party dominant system, there are currently 66 other political parties which exist on a national, regional
and local level. However, there are actually three major “minor” parties which have managed to make a dent into the
American political machine.
The Green Party - Committed to environmentalism, non-violence, social justice and grassroots organizing, the Greens
believe that they are renewing democracy without the support of corporate donors. They also believe in a decentralized local
autonomy driven government. Greens in the United States have actually won elected office mostly at the local level in
nonpartisan elections. Ref. http://www.gp.org/.
The Libertarian Party - This party embraces the belief that individuals should have the right to live their lives as they wish,
without the government interfering -- as long as people do not violate the rights of others. Politically, this means Libertarians
favor a complete separation of state and economics. This would include enormous reduction in taxation, privatization of
Social Security and welfare, elimination of business regulation, abolition of labor regulations such as minimum wage and the
absence of government interference in foreign trade. Ref. www.lp.org.
The Constitution Party – Highly conservative in nature, the party embraces limited government under the Constitution
along with supporting the principles of Christian-based morality as the norm for the American public. It has a strong
conservative approach on moral issues and seeks to restore what it calls "Biblical foundations.” See http://www.
constitutionparty.com.
The Reform Party - An outgrowth of H. Ross Perot’s 1992 bid for president, the party believes in maintaining a balanced
budget, creating campaign finance reform, enforcing existing immigration laws, opposing free trade, creating term limits for
congress, and instituting a direct election of the president by popular vote. See http://www.reformparty.org/.
and local level. However, there are actually three major “minor” parties which have managed to make a dent into the
American political machine.
The Green Party - Committed to environmentalism, non-violence, social justice and grassroots organizing, the Greens
believe that they are renewing democracy without the support of corporate donors. They also believe in a decentralized local
autonomy driven government. Greens in the United States have actually won elected office mostly at the local level in
nonpartisan elections. Ref. http://www.gp.org/.
The Libertarian Party - This party embraces the belief that individuals should have the right to live their lives as they wish,
without the government interfering -- as long as people do not violate the rights of others. Politically, this means Libertarians
favor a complete separation of state and economics. This would include enormous reduction in taxation, privatization of
Social Security and welfare, elimination of business regulation, abolition of labor regulations such as minimum wage and the
absence of government interference in foreign trade. Ref. www.lp.org.
The Constitution Party – Highly conservative in nature, the party embraces limited government under the Constitution
along with supporting the principles of Christian-based morality as the norm for the American public. It has a strong
conservative approach on moral issues and seeks to restore what it calls "Biblical foundations.” See http://www.
constitutionparty.com.
The Reform Party - An outgrowth of H. Ross Perot’s 1992 bid for president, the party believes in maintaining a balanced
budget, creating campaign finance reform, enforcing existing immigration laws, opposing free trade, creating term limits for
congress, and instituting a direct election of the president by popular vote. See http://www.reformparty.org/.
| Is Increasing Voter Turnout The Real Solution? |
In the 2004 presidential elections, there was a voter turnout of 55.3% compared to nearly 63% in 1960. This
means that over 97 million people or 44.7% of the eligible voting public for whatever reason did not cast their
vote in the last election.
Who knows just how significant an additional 2-3% or even 10% increase would have made, especially during
very close elections such as the 2000 presidential elections. So exactly what is behind the dwindling voter
turnout and what specifically kept 97 million people from voting in 2004??
According to cumulative research specifically dedicated to answering this very question, the following findings
have been documented as possible reasons for low voter turnout:
1. Voters hold a genuine belief that their vote does not count and that politicians will do whatever they want
anyhow once in office.
2. Voters view politics as dirty business and that all politicians are the same with no choice between the two
major parties. Hence they prefer to stay out of politics and the voting process all together.
3. Voters have difficulty getting off work in order to vote as it could potentially become an all day event
juggling work responsibilities, commuting back to voting locations, standing in line to vote, along with
other personal scheduling conflicts.
4. Voters do not always fully understand or comprehend all of the issues being voted upon.
5. Voters are mentally burned out with lengthy campaigning that can last just over a year in some cases.
6. Voters are turned off by political scandals that come to light from candidates’ lives.
7. Voters are not able to make a mental connection with their immediate livelihoods and the long-term
effects of their voting.
8. Voters sometimes experience difficulty registering to vote in certain states.
9. Voters sometimes have difficulty finding the right polling place to vote as locations can change at the last
minute.
means that over 97 million people or 44.7% of the eligible voting public for whatever reason did not cast their
vote in the last election.
Who knows just how significant an additional 2-3% or even 10% increase would have made, especially during
very close elections such as the 2000 presidential elections. So exactly what is behind the dwindling voter
turnout and what specifically kept 97 million people from voting in 2004??
According to cumulative research specifically dedicated to answering this very question, the following findings
have been documented as possible reasons for low voter turnout:
1. Voters hold a genuine belief that their vote does not count and that politicians will do whatever they want
anyhow once in office.
2. Voters view politics as dirty business and that all politicians are the same with no choice between the two
major parties. Hence they prefer to stay out of politics and the voting process all together.
3. Voters have difficulty getting off work in order to vote as it could potentially become an all day event
juggling work responsibilities, commuting back to voting locations, standing in line to vote, along with
other personal scheduling conflicts.
4. Voters do not always fully understand or comprehend all of the issues being voted upon.
5. Voters are mentally burned out with lengthy campaigning that can last just over a year in some cases.
6. Voters are turned off by political scandals that come to light from candidates’ lives.
7. Voters are not able to make a mental connection with their immediate livelihoods and the long-term
effects of their voting.
8. Voters sometimes experience difficulty registering to vote in certain states.
9. Voters sometimes have difficulty finding the right polling place to vote as locations can change at the last
minute.
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| Solutions Anyone? |
The following ideas have been bounced around political circles for several years as viable solutions to
voter apathy:
1. Internet registration and voting process
2. Weekend long voting process
3. Relaxing of the election and campaign rules for third parties.
4. More across-the-board term limits
5. Shorter terms for certain offices
As America’s political process continues to chug along to the November elections, one is lead to
wonder if the nation will continue to have more of the same or if finally the American people will
become sick-and-tired of being sick-and-tired of politics as usual.
voter apathy:
1. Internet registration and voting process
2. Weekend long voting process
3. Relaxing of the election and campaign rules for third parties.
4. More across-the-board term limits
5. Shorter terms for certain offices
As America’s political process continues to chug along to the November elections, one is lead to
wonder if the nation will continue to have more of the same or if finally the American people will
become sick-and-tired of being sick-and-tired of politics as usual.
| Copyrighted 2006 Herndon Davis is an author, lecturer, and TV/Radio Host of The Herndon Davis Reports. He can be reached directly at http://herndondavis.com |
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