The Decline in American Voter Turnout
The number of Americans voting in elections has been steadily declining over the last few decades. The explanations for the poor voter turnout have varied from nuanced to very basic.
Increasing Public Engagement
Increased and effective voter education is one of the key solutions that will assist in growing public engagement in elections. In addition to voter education, there are other interventions that will help accomplish this goal. Another solution aimed at increasing overall voter participation would be to simplify the voting process. Currently, a sizable proportion of the electorate is made up of senior citizens. Therefore, by targeting the younger generation of voters, the objective of increased voter participation would be achieved. True democracy and ignorance of the voters remain the integral issues of the electoral process in America. (A, Morone and Kersh)
Simplifying the Voting Process
First and foremost, the entire voting process starting from the initial registration to the actual casting of the vote should be simplified. Americans vote too often and for too many offices compared to other countries. Specifically, an online system of voter registration and voting would go a long way in streamlining the process. A physical system is inconvenient to many since for people in active employment it means taking time off work, and for parents, especially those with young children, it means having to find someone to look after the child in order to have time to register and vote. Also, a physical process of registration would pose significant challenges for young professionals whose work entails a lot of mobility. The incorporation of technology into the process would hence be beneficial since it would simplify the entire process. (A, Morone and Kersh)
Educating Voters
Secondly, voter education should be designed such that it reaches the actual intended recipients. It has been noted that most Americans are politically ignorant. For instance, while targeting the young members of the population, outlets such as social media should be used in place of traditional methods. Currently, most citizens are using the platform as an avenue for voicing their political concerns. A successful and effective voter education program would ensure voter preparedness, convert unwilling citizens to participating voters, and equip them with the necessary knowledge needed to complete the process of voting. (A, Morone and Kersh)
Addressing Issues for All Voters
Lastly, politicians should address, in their campaigns, a wide range of issues affecting different categories of voters, as opposed to limiting their issues to a single group of voters. Over time, politicians have largely focused their campaign issues around the elderly and the poor. By basing their campaign issues on Social Security and Medicare, the politicians target the group of voters comprised mainly of older members of society. Therefore, since this category of voters is already active participants in the election process, issues targeting younger voters such as student debt should similarly be prioritized by politicians. (A, Morone and Kersh)
We can, therefore, conclude that voter education and participation can be improved through three simple steps. Firstly, by making the process simple, incorporating technologies such as online platforms into the process, voters who initially could not find the time to register and vote would now be able to do so at their convenience. Also, an online platform would be beneficial, especially for voter education, as young voters can easily be targeted since they are the majority of those who do not vote. Lastly, addressing issues targeting every group of voter would help increase participation, especially from citizens who traditionally felt that the activity was of no importance to them.
Works Cited
A, James, Morone and Rogan Kersh. By the People. Oxford University Press, 2014.
