June 1996 Home   Newsletters

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September 1996

1996 LWVUS Convention Action (Jean Aoki, Suzanne Meisenzahl & Jackie Parnell)
President's Message (Astrid Monson)
Convention Activities (Jean Aoki, Suzanne Meisenzahl & Jackie Parnell)
Growth or Sustainability (Astrid Monson)
Candidates in Focus
Drive-in Registration
Hawaiian Sovereignty Vote Count (Arlene Ellis)
League Testifies on City Camping Facilities
Action Alert
Voter Participation
Orientation Meeting (Grace Furukawa)
Court Monitoring Project
Voter Hotline
Leaguer Elected to Serve on Violence Prevention Board
Leaguer Cindy Spencer "Expert Witness"
Membership

Voter Participation

We usually blame voter alienation as the main cause of non-participation in voting on the part of citizens. "This doesn't really explain why people don't vote," according to a presentation by the Mellman Group and Wirthlin Worldwide at the Tuesday Luncheon at the League Convention in Chicago. "Voters and non-voters are equally alienated."

The speaker listed age, race, income and geography as factors that determine participation or non-participation. For example, people who are younger are less likely to vote.

As we launch our drive to encourage voter turnout, we might be aided by these observations:

  1. People who participate in community organizations are more likely to vote.
  2. People who discuss politics are more likely to vote.
  3. The extent to which people believe their friends and associates value voting influences their voting behavior
  4. People who are contacted and asked to vote are more likely to vote.
We must create this sense of community among our citizens.
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