Renewal

Breaking the cycle of voter apathy

Do we live in a democracy? Consider the evidence from Massachusetts. In last week's primaries, 26 percent of registered voters went to the polls. If you consider all adults who could have registered but didn't, the real turnout drops to 19 percent. This means that a stunning 81 percent of those who could have voted, didn't. A likely congressman for the historic Eighth District, a slate of state representatives, nominees for the governor's race -- all selected by a thin slice of the population while the rest sat silent.

Massachusetts is not alone in this, of course, nor is the problem a new one. For decades, voters have been choosing the "who cares" column in increasing numbers.

The result has been a disturbing, and self-reinforcing, cycle of disaffection. As fewer and fewer people go to the polls, special interests have more and more influence over the levers of power. This in turn sharpens the people's conviction that the general public is not a real part of the process. As disgust grows, even fewer vote; the disenfranchised become more so. Meanwhile, fewer talented young people are considering careers in politics, cutting off the supply of leadership. With time, the consequences will only grow more dire, resulting in a government that is blunted and maligned, that is fundamentally unable to represent the people or do their work.

Yet most politicians seem remarkably unconcerned that the nation's founding principle -- government by the people -- is bleeding away. Indeed, as many observers suggest, it is in the interest of those in power to preserve the status quo. But this will not do. Though solving the problem will surely be difficult and complex, there is really no acceptable alternative. It is time to overhaul the electoral process, and there are steps we can take in this direction.

Make it easier to vote. The 1993 "Motor Voter" law has made it significantly easier to register, and more people are doing so. But it's time to take the next step. One possibility is to simply keep the polls open for several days, including Saturday and Sunday. Another is to follow the lead of states like Oregon and Washington, which allow voters to mail in their ballots. Already this has increased turnout, without any of the fraud that early critics were predicting.

Eliminate some posts. It is also time to take a hard look at the number of elective offices on the ballot. If the public does not understand the office, or know anything about any of the candidates, then it's an empty gesture that actually discourages voters. Take the Boston School Committee, which is more accountable to the public interest now that it is appointed by the mayor.

Curb the money. As the Phoenix (and many others) have argued in the past, money continues to corrupt the political system. The more special-interest money pushes decisions -- and the more time officials must devote to fundraising instead of governing -- the more disaffected the public becomes.

Improve media coverage. The media (ourselves included) need to do a better job covering campaigns, resisting the temptation to focus on the horse race at the expense of the ideas being debated. It is the role of the press to cover the political process in a way readers will find both informative and compelling.

Inspire the public. The apathy epidemic should be treated like any other public-health threat: with an aggressive campaign to change behavior. The state has funded award-winning ads that warn about the dangers of smoking. Why not fund an aggressive set of ads that explain the dangers of not voting: "If you don't vote, you lose"? Some of the ads should target the communities that vote in fewest numbers -- minorities, the poor, and the young. There is no reason these ads, too, couldn't be a national model.

In the end, though, the problem is the public's. In the race to succeed Joe Kennedy in the Eighth District, there were 10 candidates, all of whom deserved serious consideration, yet much of the public shied away. In the end, Mike Capuano won with the support of just over 6 percent of registered voters. (Capuano received only 19,301 votes.)

Many Phoenix readers fall into one of the categories that, sadly, votes least: the young. It's easy to make excuses. It was a busy day. Or perhaps none of the candidates really inspired. Life, though, is full of imperfect choices. They are still choices.

And the sheer act of voting makes a difference. The vicious cycle can be virtuous: The more you become involved, the more you see why involvement matters. The more you will be joined by your friends, your colleagues, their neighbors. The more everyone will take their obligations as citizens seriously. Ignoring elections isn't just an act of laziness, it is an act of destructiveness: a vote for bad, irrelevant government.

You choose.

What do you think? Send an e-mail to letters[a]phx.com.