Low Voter Turnout
The Issue:
The United States has consistently suffered low voter turnouts, reflecting a lack of political participation by citizens. In the 2020 presidential election, only about 66.8% of eligible voters voted in the election. In Georgia, the voter turnout of the eligible population is 68.2%. Although these figures are relatively high compared to past presidential elections, not all that are eligible to vote have casted their ballots. It is crucial that these percentages continue with the trend and continuously rise in future elections. A significant portion is left out, unengaged with their nation's future. Lower level elections, including midterm elections suffer a great deal with significantly lower turnout compared to presidential elections. These percentages and numbers can be attributed to low voting efficacy, the notion that their votes do not have much impact and restrictive regulations that make it difficult for one to vote. Many refer to these strict regulations as voter suppression.
(Data from https://www.electproject.org/election-data/voter-turnout-data)
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What is voter efficacy?
Voter efficacy is an individual's belief in the power of their vote. It impacts their decision whether they should vote or not based on their belief of their vote's impact, ultimately affecting the voter turnout. Those with low voter efficacy believe that their vote has minimal impact on the outcome of elections. Therefore, they choose not to participate in voting. In contrast, individuals with high voter efficacy believe that their votes have a significant impact in election outcomes. They are more likely to participate in voting. It is imperative that we cultivate efficacy to have a result that truly reflects the interests of the American people, and that is what this website is for!
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What is voter suppression?
Voter suppression are strict voting regulations, acting as barriers that inhibit participation in voting. Because states have the authority to set their own voting regulations, they can create regulations to voting as strict or as loose as they please. This means the accessibility of voting greatly differs from state to state. Some states have used this to their advantage and created tactics that suppress certain groups of voters. Examples of restrictive barriers include photo ID requirements, reduced polling locations, and limited early voting opportunities. Many minorities do not possess the proper photo identification, therefore they are denied the right to vote in applicable states. Reduced polling locations result in fewer poll booths that often have long lines. Longer lines are a discouragement to voters. In addition to reduced polling locations, they are only opened during a limited time window oftentimes. Those with a busy and demanding work schedule cannot make it to the polls in time because of this. Limited early voting opportunities can increase the difficulty to cast votes. Tighter deadlines to apply for absentee voting can result in a fraction of applicants not applying in a time.
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In Georgia, the Election Integrity Act of 2021 has been notorious for its restrictive barriers. More information regarding the act can be found under the "Election Integrity Act of 2021" page.
