Voter Registration
Gustaf:
OK, here comes another stupid question...
What exactly is voter registration? And how is it possible for the turnout in certain states to be lower as percentage of registered voters than as percentage of VAP?
We don't really have that in Sweden, so I am not familiar with the entire concept... :)
dazzleman:
In the US, citizens must register as a voter in order to vote. Registration is not automatic.
In other words, a person cannot just show up at the polls on election day and vote, unless he has previously registered as a voter in his local community.
A certain percentage of the voting age population is not even registered. Of those who are actually registered, only a certain percentage actually show up to vote. As an example, say there are 100 potential voters. Say that 75 of them are registered, and 50 of those registered actually show up and vote on election day. That means that voter participation was 66.67% (50/75) of registered voters, but 50% (50/100) of VAP.
The registration and participation rates vary widely by state, but are generally lowest in the south, and places with large numbers of urban areas and minorities. The highest participation is in largely white suburban and/or rural states. Minnesota has, I believe, the highest voter participation rate. As an example, Connecticut has a much higher voter participation rate than New York because it is whiter and has fewer urban areas.
Gustaf:
Quote from: dazzleman on January 04, 2004, 09:18:58 AM
In the US, citizens must register as a voter in order to vote. Registration is not automatic.
In other words, a person cannot just show up at the polls on election day and vote, unless he has previously registered as a voter in his local community.
A certain percentage of the voting age population is not even registered. Of those who are actually registered, only a certain percentage actually show up to vote. As an example, say there are 100 potential voters. Say that 75 of them are registered, and 50 of those registered actually show up and vote on election day. That means that voter participation was 66.67% (50/75) of registered voters, but 50% (50/100) of VAP.
The registration and participation rates vary widely by state, but are generally lowest in the south, and places with large numbers of urban areas and minorities. The highest participation is in largely white suburban and/or rural states. Minnesota has, I believe, the highest voter participation rate. As an example, Connecticut has a much higher voter participation rate than New York because it is whiter and has fewer urban areas.
Thanks. But in the site, certain states have higher VAP% than Reg. voter%. That seems impossible. Look at Alaska and Montana in 2000, for example.
Btw, why have the whole registration system? Seems complicated... :)
dazzleman:
Quote from: Gustaf on January 04, 2004, 09:24:35 AM
Quote from: dazzleman on January 04, 2004, 09:18:58 AM
In the US, citizens must register as a voter in order to vote. Registration is not automatic.
In other words, a person cannot just show up at the polls on election day and vote, unless he has previously registered as a voter in his local community.
A certain percentage of the voting age population is not even registered. Of those who are actually registered, only a certain percentage actually show up to vote. As an example, say there are 100 potential voters. Say that 75 of them are registered, and 50 of those registered actually show up and vote on election day. That means that voter participation was 66.67% (50/75) of registered voters, but 50% (50/100) of VAP.
The registration and participation rates vary widely by state, but are generally lowest in the south, and places with large numbers of urban areas and minorities. The highest participation is in largely white suburban and/or rural states. Minnesota has, I believe, the highest voter participation rate. As an example, Connecticut has a much higher voter participation rate than New York because it is whiter and has fewer urban areas.
Thanks. But in the site, certain states have higher VAP% than Reg. voter%. That seems impossible. Look at Alaska and Montana in 2000, for example.
Btw, why have the whole registration system? Seems complicated... :)
I agree about the VAP participation being higher than the Registered Voter participation. I don't see how that can be correct.
As far as registration is concerned, those provisions are in place to limit vote fraud and make sure voters are eligible and only vote once. Local governments generally don't have a pre-existing database of every citizen, and whether that person is eligible to vote, so the onus is on the citizen to register, prove eligibility, etc.
Democrats have pushed in favor of watering down registration requirements because their voters are generally less motivated, and less likely to go to the trouble of registering, although it is very simple.
Cynically speaking, Democrats are in a stronger position to take advantage of voting "irregularities" because they tend to have power in urban areas with large numbers of potential voters, while Republican control is dispersed over larger areas with fewer voters. The typical Democratically controlled county or precinct has a larger population than the typical Republican controlled county or precinct. In theory, election boards are non-partisan, but that is not always the reality in urban areas that have had effective one-party rule for long periods of time.
Gustaf:
Quote from: dazzleman on January 04, 2004, 09:40:16 AM
Quote from: Gustaf on January 04, 2004, 09:24:35 AM
Quote from: dazzleman on January 04, 2004, 09:18:58 AM
In the US, citizens must register as a voter in order to vote. Registration is not automatic.
In other words, a person cannot just show up at the polls on election day and vote, unless he has previously registered as a voter in his local community.
A certain percentage of the voting age population is not even registered. Of those who are actually registered, only a certain percentage actually show up to vote. As an example, say there are 100 potential voters. Say that 75 of them are registered, and 50 of those registered actually show up and vote on election day. That means that voter participation was 66.67% (50/75) of registered voters, but 50% (50/100) of VAP.
The registration and participation rates vary widely by state, but are generally lowest in the south, and places with large numbers of urban areas and minorities. The highest participation is in largely white suburban and/or rural states. Minnesota has, I believe, the highest voter participation rate. As an example, Connecticut has a much higher voter participation rate than New York because it is whiter and has fewer urban areas.
Thanks. But in the site, certain states have higher VAP% than Reg. voter%. That seems impossible. Look at Alaska and Montana in 2000, for example.
Btw, why have the whole registration system? Seems complicated... :)
I agree about the VAP participation being higher than the Registered Voter participation. I don't see how that can be correct.
As far as registration is concerned, those provisions are in place to limit vote fraud and make sure voters are eligible and only vote once. Local governments generally don't have a pre-existing database of every citizen, and whether that person is eligible to vote, so the onus is on the citizen to register, prove eligibility, etc.
Democrats have pushed in favor of watering down registration requirements because their voters are generally less motivated, and less likely to go to the trouble of registering, although it is very simple.
Cynically speaking, Democrats are in a stronger position to take advantage of voting "irregularities" because they tend to have power in urban areas with large numbers of potential voters, while Republican control is dispersed over larger areas with fewer voters. The typical Democratically controlled county or precinct has a larger population than the typical Republican controlled county or precinct. In theory, election boards are non-partisan, but that is not always the reality in urban areas that have had effective one-party rule for long periods of time.
OK. In Sweden I believe everyone recieves a sort of ID-card before an election, together with information on where to vote, and then you bring that along with you when you go to vote, to identify yourself. It isn't required though. As long as you have proper ID and is at the right place you can vote. The districts are usually not very large, maybe that helps, since it's a peaceful country. Also, since elections are held on sundays, the atmosphere is usually very relaxed.
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