Remember the narrow margins by which Bush won some of the major metropolitan areas of Texas in 04? I believe this was a sign of things to come and serious GOTV efforts are necessary in the 06 elections to help secure turnout in 08. Here is our problem as I see it; my non scientific analysis of the situation is this. Voters, which I will define here as individuals who are registered to vote and have voted in at least one election, vote in Big elections, defined here as Presidential elections. They will vote in election years when we are electing a president, even if they do not vote any other time.
Then we have non voters, individuals who either are not registered to vote, or who registered to vote at one time but have never voted. Assuming these people have been eligible to vote but have chosen not to in previous years, I believe these individuals are most likely to be convinced to vote for the first time in local elections.
Why is this and what does this mean? Stay with me, I’m getting there. There is, I believe, a fundamental difference between Voters and Non-Voters. Voters are most likely to vote in the Big elections, because they feel these elections are important enough to take the time needed to vote, as well as the fact that these elections are more heavily publicized and therefore voters are more likely to know the election is coming up in advance and make plans to vote. Boiled down, voters believe in the process and believe their votes matter, but are often busy and perhaps just a little apathetic.
Non-voters on the other hand do not believe in the process and are a lot apathetic. The best way in my opinion to change non-voters into voters is to put them face to face with local candidates, get them involved in politics at the local level, allowing them to see just what the impact of voting really is. A non-voter is going to be much more impressed by real live candidates, showing up to speak to them where they live, than by television ads. This also gives them a feeling of obligation, if they don’t show up to vote in a Presidential election, they are never going to have to face the candidate on the street and explain why he/she’s willingness to work hard for them as a constituent was not worth showing up at the polls to vote. Not so with the local candidate. Furthermore, people who get involved and vote in local elections are much more apt to watch their local government and candidates and see the impact those votes have on policy that affects them in their daily lives. Now I never said this would be easy in fact, I believe getting people to vote in local elections is actually much more difficult than GOTV efforts in major federal elections. These elections get less press coverage, seem less significant to voters and often involve little or no campaigning, leaving many voters unaware that an election is even going on. The fact that increasing turn out in these elections is more difficult combined with the lack of help from the national party along with the lack of respect that many of these races get may be the cause of local elections being largely ignored by GOTV efforts. This has to change. I believe it is easier to get voters to the polls than it is to create voters out of non-voters. Traditionally, we wait until the major election years and send in troops to try and register voters then get those people to the polls. This is unfortunately about two elections too late. I believe that if you can get someone registered to vote and to the polls once, it will be much easier to get them there the second time, by the third even easier. If the third is a major federal election even more so, they are more likely to get themselves there, they are already voters. Creating voters has to be a continuous effort with focus on local and state elections.
Forgive my reiteration, For individuals who have not voted in the past, it may be easier to get them to appreciate the impact of voting if they are able to vote for a local candidate, a face they know and recognize as someone who is likely to actually attend local events where potential voters can meet and create a personal connection with the candidate. These new "voters" may then be much more inclined to vote in state and federal elections where the candidates and the issues may seem less personal. Now is the time for Texas Democrats to build our Voter Machine, our goals must be long term with regard to rebuilding our base here in Texas. We can not allow ourselves to be disheartened by what will likely be a slow process of winning the trust of the people of Texas as well as creating voters from the previously apathetic, and there is no time like the present to start, when the trust the people of Texas have put in the Republican Party has been so egregiously broken. |
