Voter Behavior, Campaign Finance, and Policy Making

Voter Participation and Political Engagement

Voter Turnout Statistics

• Outdated Data: Older data indicates low voter participation, a significant concern.

• Recent (2020) US Data:

  • $62.8\%$ of the total population voted.

  • Among registered voters, participation was approximately $94\%$. The $2020$ election was highlighted as a major election cycle.

  • Despite high turnout among registered voters, the overall percentage of the total population voting remains a concern.

• Election Cycle Differences:

  • High-State (Presidential) Elections: Typically see the highest numbers, as observed in $2020$.

  • Off-Year Elections (e.g., $2026$): Voter turnout significantly drops to about $40\%$ or less of the population.

  • State and Local Elections: Numbers are even worse for state and local elections, often ranging from $40\%$ to $60\%$ participation.

Reasons for Low Voter Participation

• Voluntary System: Voting is not mandatory in the United States, contributing to lower turnout.

• Apathy/Uninterest: Many citizens are uninterested in politics.

• Uninformed Voters: A lack of information or understanding about candidates and issues.

• Complicated Voter Registration Process: Some states have complex voter registration, and not many offer same-day registration.

• Potential Impact of Mandatory Voting: While it would increase turnout, mandatory voting could also skew election results by bringing in uninformed voters.

Campaign Financing and Influence of Money

• Role of Money in Politics: Campaign financing is a major indicator of the influence of money.

• Disproportionate Influence: Corporations and wealthy individuals significantly affect elections due to their financial contributions.

• Ordinary Citizens: Regular citizens lack the financial resources to exert similar influence or contribute to campaign spending.

• Maine's Campaign Finance Model (Example):

  • To run for governor, state senator, or state representative in Maine, candidates must obtain a certain number of $5$ donations from individuals.

  • Meeting this requirement allows candidates to access a pool of government money for their statewide campaigns.

  • Benefit: This system promotes transparency and accountability in campaign financing.

Candidate Image and Public Opinion

• Portrayal of Candidate's Image: Focuses on personal qualities like experience, integrity, and positions on controversial topics.

• Rhetoric: Candidates use rhetoric to their advantage in debates and addresses.

• Public Opinion Polls: Surveys that gauge public sentiment and potential voting choices.

  • Skepticism Advised: Voters should be skeptical of poll statistics.

  • Sampling Bias Example: Conducting a survey only in a