From Ballot Access News:
The Los Angeles Times has this op-ed, published October 2, by Ted Rall. Rall has been an editorial cartoonist for many decades. His column says California and other low-turnout states will never match the higher turnout of most other democratic countries, until there are more choices on the ballot.
From the article cited:
The city of Los Angeles is thinking about offering cash prizes to lure voters. But 58 countries have higher turnouts than the United States — and they don’t bribe voters. What do they have in common? Some, like the Central Asian republics of Turkmenistan and Uzbekistan, are authoritarian states where apathy sometimes lands you a prison sentence. But most offer something sadly lacking on American ballots: a diverse choice of candidates representing a wide range of political ideologies, typically as part of a parliamentary system that includes “fringe” voices.
It’s bad enough that a country like the United States — which touts itself as a beacon of democracy — is limited to two viable political parties, both of which hold virtually identical positions on a host of major political issues such as militarism, war, privacy rights (or lack thereof) and free-trade agreements. In California, there’s basically only one.
The state Republican Party in California is in total disarray. And the best example of how democracy has failed in the Golden State is the gubernatorial race, in which Democrat Jerry Brown leads Republican Neel Kashkari 57% to 36% — a 2-1 margin. Unless Brown endorses bestiality or joins Islamic State/ISIS/ISIL/whatever they’re calling it now, there is zero chance he’ll lose.
The gaping chasm between Brown and Kashkari illustrates why many Californians see voting as a waste of time. With the outcome pretty much predetermined, the only reason to vote is to participate in a quaint Norman Rockwell-like ritual. Your vote — not even your vote plus the votes of the friends and family members you persuade to vote with you — will not and cannot make a difference.
I lack sufficiently current identification to vote, and may be barred for past felonies (haven’t checked). My “permanent address” is not in one of the counties where we have candidates this year, anyway. There’s some ballot questions I would vote for and against if I was voting. I could walk to the Tuscaloosa Academy if I was still voting, although I may be at a motel in Birmingham or a house out in the woods in an adjacent rural county by November, or even back out on the road out of state, although that is less likely (just got back today).
Shame on the alt parties for stealing non-votes from non-voters! LOL.
Here in the “Live Free or Die” State, I have at most 2 choices for everything on the ballot this year. I say “at most” because several of the races have only 1 candidate. You better believe I’ll be using that write-in line to vote for the Libertarians who were unsuccessful at getting on the ballot, and voting “NOTA” for everything else!*
* the lone exception will be to vote for Varrin Swearingen (former Free State Project President) for State Rep, who is running as a Republican.
I’ll vote because, as usual, we have a bunch of propositions to vote against.
I’m happy to say that here in VA, I have a Libertarian to vote for in each of the two offices that will be on my ballot (Sarvis for Senate, Harrold for Congress). I’ve also got a few no votes to cast on bond issues and the like.
My polling place is fairly close to my home so I might go out and vote just to step into the booth and vote a blank ballot. I doubt that anyone but me will know but it is my protest nonetheless.
I live in PA as well & strongly doubt I’ll vote. Especially since my polling place is several miles away from my house & I have limited gas money. If there were more choices it would be a different story.
It is the same in Pennsylvania, Jill. No choices other than Tweedle-Dee or Tweedle-Dum. Why bother indeed!
Well, Mr. Rall pretty much hit the nail on the head. My husband is working out of town. I was going to remind him to get an absentee ballot last night and thought, why bother? That’s pretty darn pathetic.