VOTES ARE NOT US

Submitted by ub on

Way too many US voters are staying home and choosing not to cast their ballots. Why have more than half the states holding primary elections seen record-low turnouts?

Total number of Americans eligible to vote 206,072,000
Total number of Americans registered to vote 146,311,000
Total number of Americans who voted in the 2012 Presidential election 131,144,000

According to Pew researchers, US partisan polarization is the vast and growing gap between Republicans and Democrats and is a defining feature of politics today.

But beyond the ideological wings, which make up a minority of the public, the political landscape includes a center that is large and diverse, unified by frustration with politics and little else.

As a result, both parties face formidable challenges in reaching beyond their bases to appeal to the middle of the electorate and build sustainable coalitions.