Wednesday, September 30, 2020

Are Americans really clamoring to Vote?

USA Voter turnout, elected women in political office, perceptions of electoral integrity lags far behind “advanced” or “developed” nations  

U

nited States of America’s Record compared with 12 nations

Turnout as percentage of registered voters 

  • 2014 off year: 42.5 percent
  • 2016 Presidential: 65.4 percent 

Percentage of seats held by women in lower or single chamber

  • 2014 off year: 19.3
  • 2016 Presidential: 19.1

Percentage of seats held by women in upper chamber

  • 2014 off year: 20.0
  • 2016 Presidential: 23.0

PEI index of electoral integrity (0-100)

  • 61

Perceptions of Electoral Integrity (PEI) Rank (1 high, 12 low)

  • 12

 

D

eveloped Nations comparative Record

Turnout as percentage of registered voters

  • Australia (2016): 91.0
  • Sweden (2018): 87.2
  • Denmark (2015): 85.9
  • Netherlands (2017): 81.9

Percentage of seats held by women in lower or single chamber

  • Norway (2017): 41.4
  • Sweden (2018): 43.6

Percentage of seats held by women in upper chamber

  • Australia (2016): 40.8 
  • Canada (2015): 45.7
  • Denmark (2015), Norway (2017), and Sweden (2018): Unicameral

PEI index of electoral integrity (0-100)

  • Denmark: 86
  • Norway: 83
  • Sweden: 83
  • Germany (2017): 81
  • Netherlands: 80

Perceptions of Electoral Integrity (PEI) Rank 1 high- 12 low

  • Denmark: 1 
  • Norway and Sweden (each): 2.5
  • Germany: 4
  • Netherlands: 5

T

oday dawns a long fall from earlier days of human rights and voting rights campaigners, the era of Fannie Lou Hamer, and eras of those who came before her.  

Contemporary Americans evidently lacking seriousness and personal engagement as a responsible body politic, a citizenry duty bound and cognizant of their duty to scrutinize the backgrounds of politicians and contenders for public office; and based on informed choice, to consistently cast their votes—are unlikely to be familiar with the 1960s-1970s-era Fannie Lou Hamer, the Mississippi Freedom Democratic Party; Hamer’s work and concerns she nearly died for. Many did die in that movement era for Voting Rights and Women’s Rights.

Their work peddled no lies, committed no acts of violence against other people, vandalized no stores or offices, and toppled no public statues.

Are Americans today really clamoring to Vote? I don't think so.

O

ne cannot take seriously those who are unschooled in their history, the malleable and the deliberately ignorant among us. 

One should not take seriously those who fail

to see clearly

to think rationally

to grasp true substance, the essence of the matter and treat it seriously.


 

 

Sources

International Comparisons: Voting Most recent elections https://intlcomparisons.org/political/voting/

Unicameral: (of a legislative body) having a single legislative chamber; i.e., primary legislative authority exercised through the unicameral Chamber of Deputies ♦ Unicameralism: in government (Latin uni, one + camera, chamber), the practice of having a single legislative or parliamentary chamber. Thus, a unicameral parliament or unicameral legislature is a legislature consisting of one chamber or house. (Wikipedia) https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Unicameralism

Fannie Lou Hamer https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Fannie_Lou_Hamer

 

 

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