preview

Voter Turnout Analysis

Decent Essays

The article that I chose to analyze discusses the area of voter turnout. Voter turnout is an area that is near and dear to me because the opportunity to voice our opinions through voting is a civil responsibility and ultimately our first opportunity to be involved in the political system. Voter turnout is not a topic that is new, but it has manifested itself more and more over the years, and it is now a huge topic of discussion in society. With different states instituting voting laws, voter turnout seems to be on the decline. Why is this so? How do voting laws cause a decline in voter turnout at the polls? The article that I chose explains the relationship between different voting laws and how they can affect voter turnout at the polls.

The …show more content…

The first factor that the author gives as a reason for declining voter turnout is in regard to voter registration rules. In the United States of America, it is up to each citizen when he/she becomes of age to go to a voter registration site, such as the DMV, and register themselves to vote (Hershey 2009, 87). In other countries, citizens are automatically entered into a voter database, alleviating the hassle, the confusion, and the time-consuming aspects of voter registration (Hershey 2009, 87). Another factor that leads to a decline in voter turnout in the United States is the fact that convicted felons cannot vote (Hershey 2009, 88). Personally, I believe that everyone deserves a second chance in life. Mistakes are made, but if those mistakes are held against a person, who has turned his/her life around, then what good is the act of forgiveness. God has forgiven us from our shortcomings, and I believe that it is our job as Americans to show that same type of forgiveness. Distance in which someone has to drive to vote …show more content…

The author has used data from different researchers to support his ideas as to the contributing factors related to voter turnout. The author also uses a comparative perspective to help explain and show how factors related to an election effect voter turnout. Here in North Carolina, we had voter-ID laws for a short time frame, and I saw the effects first hand on voter turnout. Personally, I do not have a driver’s license. Even though I have a learner’s permit, I can see where someone who is in my position who does not have any form of identification decides to skip the polls altogether because he/she does not want to go through the hassle of obtaining a permit or identification card in order to vote. To me, voting is extremely important, and as a government major, I have began to witness firsthand, how having a large voter turnout can have on the result of an

Get Access