Re: on the American election - a query and a comment

[Michael Hoover <hoov@xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx>]

> > What percentage of the voting population enrolled?
> Those of voting age, without records, etc? Around 65% (if memory serves) were
> registered.
> > What percentage of the
> > enrolled actually voted?
> Around 51%. The highest turnout in decades. Some attribute it to the
> closeness, I
> personally think it is because people (like many on this list) who
> otherwise would have
> stayed home voted for Nader.
> Macdonald
> > Gary

Above re. turnout of US voting-age population in recent decades is
incorrect.  51% places this year at third from bottom of last eight
US prez elections:
1992: 55%
1972: 55%
1976: 54%
1980: 53%
1984: 53%
2000: 51%
1988: 50%
1996: 49%

fwiw: Some US political scientists cite 26th Amendment reducing voting
age to 18 as important factor in 6% decline from 61% in 1968 to 55% in
1972 of voting-age population.

Voter turnout in individual states varies pretty dramatically, in part,
because voter registration procedures among states vary pretty
dramatically.  North Dakota is only state that doesn't require
registration at all.  Several states - Minnesota, Maine, Wisconsin, for
example - allow voters to register on same day and in same place as they
vote (same day-on site registration).  On other hand, some states - such
as Florida where I live - require registration a month prior to upcoming
election.  Plus, some state keep voters on rolls even if they do not vote
while others automatically cancel registrants if they do not vote in one
general election.

btw: US voter registration is product of early 20th century not-so
Progressive Era.  Touted as means to prevent election fraud, more
significant reason was desire to eliminate immigrant voters.  2/3rds
of US industrial proletariat in early 1900s was first-generation
immigrant.  Prior to WW1, Socialist Party elected over 1200 candidates
in over 300 cities (including almost 100 mayors).  VR was only one
of number of electoral "reforms" during this period intended to
frustrate immigrant voters: another was introduction of so-called
"neutral" ballot controlled by states & counties to replace "party"
ballot controlled by parties.  Former lists all candidates by name
(in English) running for particular office together irrespective of
party.  Latter was color-coded ticket (hence, phrase "straight-ticket"
voting) in which individual cast vote for all party candidates running
for all offices in that election.     Michael Hoover