Midterm election turnout is historically lower than presidential years, but preliminary returns indicate that Tuesday's vote saw the lowest participation rate since the 1940s.
“Election Day should be a national holiday so that everyone has the time and opportunity to vote,” Sanders said Friday in a statement. “While this would not be a cure-all, it would indicate a national commitment to create a more vibrant democracy.”
Sanders’s Vermont had its lowest voter turnout in recorded history, with 43.7 percent of registered voters participating.
Sanders plans to file a bill once Congress returns next week that would add Election Day to the list of federal holidays. Since many jobs take federal holidays off, the move could reduce the costs associated with voting and free up voters to make it to the polls.
“We should not be satisfied with a ‘democracy’ in which more than 60 percent of our people don't vote and some 80 percent of young people and low-income Americans fail to vote,” he said.
“We can and must do better than that.”
Actually Sanders is not alone in this idea, according to the article Hillary and John Kerry sponsored a bill to do the same thing back in 2005 when they were both still in the Senate.
I think it's a great idea and I would like to see other incentives to vote as well.
Perhaps providing a tax incentive might be a good start. Americans seem to love those.
Why do these "great ideas" only get brought up when they have zero chances of passing a Congress who really wants to limit the vote ? The new congress knows their power lies in limiting voting to only their supporters.
ReplyDeleteGiving people another day off will not cure apathy which is the sole problem, and I doubt most would use the time off to vote. You want people to show up to the pols, always have a ballot measure that threatens to decrease and remove federal holidays.
DeleteSpeaking of elections, who is the new Governor of Alaska?
ReplyDeleteGood idea, Bernie, but it ain't gonna' happen. I agree with 4:55.
I was wondering the same thing. Whose your next Palin-whipped Gov?
DeleteGermany's voting day must be on a Sunday or other holiday. By Law!
ReplyDeleteUnfortunately this will never work here, because it would enfranchise those who are too tied to their work schedules to vote without loss of already low income.
Can't have the 'have-nots' vote! This is deeply ingrained in the american psyche and actually goes back to the earliest time of this republic when only male property owners were allowed a vote.
Think about it!
Plenty of the "have nots" came out and voted on their platform of god, guns and babies and gave their corporate overlords even more power to disenfranchise them.
DeleteMaking voting in the US, both in the mid terms but also in a Presidential race, mandatory - thru LAW!
ReplyDeleteRepublicans would probably prefer to have a mandatory work day. If no one votes on election day, there will be no voter fraud.
ReplyDeleteIt doesn't even have to be an added holiday. Change Columbus Day (biggest farce in America) to Voting Day.
ReplyDeleteThat would work!
DeleteBernie Sanders Delivers A Gut Punch To the Republican Agenda To Screw Ordinary Americans
ReplyDeletehttp://www.politicususa.com/2014/11/08/bernie-sanders-delivers-gut-punch-republican-agenda-screw-ordinary-americans.html
Australia has mandatory voting in their elections. You must register and you must vote or you could face fines. As a result their turnout is like 95%.
ReplyDeleteImagine that turnout here. Republicans would never win anything. Which is why they'd never allow it to happen.
While it's a great idea, it's far from ideal considering the shit the Republicans have done to the voter registration process.
ReplyDeleteHave you seen the articles about the elderly people who couldn't get all of their "documentation" together in order to vote? Another woman - college graduate - was saying the law was too complicated.
Imagine ALL of the people who now NEED to take extra steps in order to make sure that they can, in fact, vote on Election Day - even if it's a holiday.
The GOP has their boot on the neck of the most vulnerable in America. (Fuck you, Palin! The "boot" reference is one of her favorites to apply to PBO, which is absurd.)
Sarah- you talked about PBO having his shoes "shined" by us.
You - bitch - aren't smart enough to learn how to shine a shoe, and you are so pathetic - no one would even let you lick President Obama's shoe - even though you dream about it.
Slore.
Vote-by-mail like OR,WA and CA solves the problem. Oregon had almost 70% voter turn out and no standing in line or missing work. Plus we elected a Democratic majority.
ReplyDeleteGrowing up in NYS in the 1950's-60s, public schools were closed on Election Day. It was a civic holiday and I think it still is.
ReplyDeleteThere are many ways to increase voter turn out, this is certainly one possibility. Of course we'd need our national leadership to agree - and with the GOP in control of congress now, it ain't gonna happen soon.
Moreover, we need to fully understand that the election results last week are partially due to fraud. Instead of causing upset, I'd hope knowing this would help us. Most citizens DO NOT support the Koch agenda, they've just been blocked from expressing this via the voting booth.
However... there are many ways to tear down a wall ;-)
It used to be that way - entire communities closed down, the local bar didn't serve booze during voting hours and everyone participated. Also too and if the person couldn't read they were assisted with their vote and allowed to sign the registry with an X.
ReplyDeleteIn Australia voting is mandatory and scheduled for a Saturday for everyone's convenience.
The US has taken to making it harder and harder for people - all people - to vote. Gee I wonder why that is?
-Oz
My parents got dressed in their best clothes and took us kids along with them on voting days, then changed and went back to work in the sweatshops. Because they grew up in a Fascist country and knew what a privilege just the act of voting is. It really left an impression on all of us kids, and we vote come hell or high water.
ReplyDeleteWith 43.7% voter turnout, Vermont did better than most states.
ReplyDeleteThis law will never pass, corporations, the Republican masters will not want to pay holiday wages so folks can vote. Also just because it is a holiday from work,nothing says people will vote, they will stay home like they do now.
ReplyDeleteIn Italy, they are fined if you don't vote, doubt that would pass here either, the rethugs would cry it is government intrusion into our lives.
I wonder how many people that crab about illegal aliens fail to vote?