Quartz - Donald Trump may dominate television and social media in the United States, but he’s not exactly crushing the electorate. Really, no one is.
So far, Republicans have cast 19.8 million votes at primary and caucus elections this year, and Democrats have cast 14.8 million. But there’s a third force that has once again dwarfed both of these numbers: the great American tradition of disinterest and apathy.
In the states that have held elections so far, about 106 million eligible voters have opted out of the whole thing. Only about a quarter of the voting-age population, or 40% of registered voters, have turned up to the polls. This is true even though Republicans have turned out in record numbers this year.
2 comments:
Ask around, you'll hear pretty much the same response. It will sound not unlike the sentiments expressed sixty years ago by W.E.B. Du Bois in defending his refusal to vote in the '56 election. "...there is but one evil party with two names, and it will be elected despite all I do or say."
Folks are fed up.
They've resigned.
They're not buying what the shysters are selling.
Wasn't that the whole point of it all anyway?
Perhaps, ignore the public long enough and eventually they'd go away?
One thing this article misses, 39 states don't allow independent voters to vote in the primaries. My state bans independents from voting in primaries, except for non partisan races. I had to change my registration for this election, just so I can vote in the primary. The 39 states that ban independent voter participation in the primaries, causes a disenfranchisement for roughly 42% of their respective electorates.
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