The turnout in yesterday’s German Bundestag elections was 83.5%. That is almost 20% higher than turnout in America’s 2024 Presidential Elections!
Democrats need to massively improve their GOTV efforts in every election going forward – starting with the upcoming special elections, judicial elections and other state-level elections.
The turnout in yesterday’s German Bundestag elections was 83.5%. That is almost 20% higher than turnout in America’s 2024 Presidential Elections!
Democrats need to massively improve their GOTV efforts in every election going forward – starting with the upcoming special elections, judicial elections and other state-level elections.
American turnout rarely matches the turnout of European countries. Generally, more social solidarity and less cultural disdain for politics and government.
Yes, but Early Voting, whether in-person or vote-by-mail, should more than make up for that. That’s actually a significant elections advantage that the vast majority of American states have over European countries. "Election Day" really is a misnomer; it is merely the *last day* of our elections.
Check out the map in this link. Alabama, Mississippi and New Hampshire were the only states that did not offer some form of Early Voting to all voters.
Ah that's fair. I'm curious if there are any journals out there studying modern election methods across different countries. I'm there are, curious to see what they say
"Switzerland, Norway, Sweden, Denmark, Finland, Estonia, and Latvia offer early voting to all voters. Iceland, Portugal, Slovenia, Lithuania, Belarus, and Russia offer early voting to some voters.
The IDEA report defined in-country postal voting, for purposes of its dataset, as "those measures that allow a voter to submit their ballot by physical post to the election administration" and noted that "While postal voting is in principle early voting, it differs in that the vote can be physically submitted remotely by the voter themselves." Iceland, the United Kingdom, Switzerland, Germany, Poland, Liechtenstein, and Luxembourg offer in-country postal voting to all voters.The Republic of Ireland, Spain, the Netherlands, Austria, Slovenia, and Lithuania offer in-country postal voting to some voters."
There is early voting and postal voting available to all in Australia and other places outside Europe detailed inthe section. One thing that is really helpful too is being able to vote at any polling booth in the country on election day and not being confined to one precinct, which sometimess obviates the need for early voting.
True, but I am not convinced that over one-third of Americans who are registered to vote, are "determined" not to vote.
I would like to see better, more granular data, but I believe a less-than-successful GOTV in November was the key reason for Kamala Harris’ loss. The GOTV just wasn’t strong enough to overcome the other factors working against us. I must admit that I expected it to be the deciding reason for her victory.
What did we donate so much money for if they weren't doing everything that could to turn out voters? Much as I mourn the hard-won $400 I donated to a losing campaign (and a few hundred more to losing Senate campaigns), I don't think a lack of work to turn out voters is what accounted for the margin. People who might otherwise have voted Democratic simply fucked them - and themselves - because inflation sapped their enthusiasm.
I mentioned factors that had to be overcome. You mention the biggie. In addition to people’s own experience of inflation, their perception was heavily influenced by Trump and the Republicans shit-talking the economy ever since Biden was inaugurated. We were fighting an uphill battle, no doubt about it.
I think Democrats underestimated the factor of crime as an issue towards those that voted for Trump. This applies not just as it relates to immigration but also cities like San Francisco that haven't gotten the crime situation under control.
Crime dropped dramatically during Biden’s presidency. Tragically, this was yet another significant achievement that Team Biden failed to successfully communicate to the nation – and which the news media failed to highlight on their own.
Yes but when Mayors of cities like San Francisco are saying crime is dropping but others argue crime is still happening, it’s a messaging problem.
Just throwing statistics at people isn’t enough. They need to see it on the streets for themselves.
Besides, in San Francisco plenty of retailers since 2023 have left the Union Square area because crime has not been resolved. Still happening today even though in all fairness, the new Mayor Daniel Lurie has only been in office for a month.
Individually, yes. Whatever anyone experiences in crime is may be different than what others do.
I'm convinced though that a lot of the fear on crime has been pervasive since the COVID-19 pandemic happened.
On the other hand, when it gets to the point where business investment and activity contracts such as businesses like Bloomindale's moving out of their prime location in San Francisco or a Hilton hotel leaving its long-time location near the Oakland International Airport), then we have a serious problem.
"Whatever anyone experiences in crime is may be different than what others do."
Most of the people who think crime is always the worst it's ever been aren't usually crime victims. So it's not about their experiences but about misleading press coverage and really poor memories.
GERMANY’s VOTER TURNOUT PUTS AMERICA TO SHAME!
The turnout in yesterday’s German Bundestag elections was 83.5%. That is almost 20% higher than turnout in America’s 2024 Presidential Elections!
Democrats need to massively improve their GOTV efforts in every election going forward – starting with the upcoming special elections, judicial elections and other state-level elections.
American turnout rarely matches the turnout of European countries. Generally, more social solidarity and less cultural disdain for politics and government.
Also doesn't help that American elections are typically on Tuesdays instead of weekends like most European nations.
Yes, but Early Voting, whether in-person or vote-by-mail, should more than make up for that. That’s actually a significant elections advantage that the vast majority of American states have over European countries. "Election Day" really is a misnomer; it is merely the *last day* of our elections.
Check out the map in this link. Alabama, Mississippi and New Hampshire were the only states that did not offer some form of Early Voting to all voters.
https://www.cbsnews.com/news/map-early-voting-mail-ballot-states/
Ah that's fair. I'm curious if there are any journals out there studying modern election methods across different countries. I'm there are, curious to see what they say
There is a section in Wikipedia on this: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Early_voting
"Switzerland, Norway, Sweden, Denmark, Finland, Estonia, and Latvia offer early voting to all voters. Iceland, Portugal, Slovenia, Lithuania, Belarus, and Russia offer early voting to some voters.
The IDEA report defined in-country postal voting, for purposes of its dataset, as "those measures that allow a voter to submit their ballot by physical post to the election administration" and noted that "While postal voting is in principle early voting, it differs in that the vote can be physically submitted remotely by the voter themselves." Iceland, the United Kingdom, Switzerland, Germany, Poland, Liechtenstein, and Luxembourg offer in-country postal voting to all voters.The Republic of Ireland, Spain, the Netherlands, Austria, Slovenia, and Lithuania offer in-country postal voting to some voters."
There is early voting and postal voting available to all in Australia and other places outside Europe detailed inthe section. One thing that is really helpful too is being able to vote at any polling booth in the country on election day and not being confined to one precinct, which sometimess obviates the need for early voting.
GOTV doesn't work if people are determined not to vote, though.
True, but I am not convinced that over one-third of Americans who are registered to vote, are "determined" not to vote.
I would like to see better, more granular data, but I believe a less-than-successful GOTV in November was the key reason for Kamala Harris’ loss. The GOTV just wasn’t strong enough to overcome the other factors working against us. I must admit that I expected it to be the deciding reason for her victory.
What did we donate so much money for if they weren't doing everything that could to turn out voters? Much as I mourn the hard-won $400 I donated to a losing campaign (and a few hundred more to losing Senate campaigns), I don't think a lack of work to turn out voters is what accounted for the margin. People who might otherwise have voted Democratic simply fucked them - and themselves - because inflation sapped their enthusiasm.
I mentioned factors that had to be overcome. You mention the biggie. In addition to people’s own experience of inflation, their perception was heavily influenced by Trump and the Republicans shit-talking the economy ever since Biden was inaugurated. We were fighting an uphill battle, no doubt about it.
I think Democrats underestimated the factor of crime as an issue towards those that voted for Trump. This applies not just as it relates to immigration but also cities like San Francisco that haven't gotten the crime situation under control.
Crime dropped dramatically during Biden’s presidency. Tragically, this was yet another significant achievement that Team Biden failed to successfully communicate to the nation – and which the news media failed to highlight on their own.
The media always sensationalize crime.
Only some crime. Corporate crime and white-collar crime are rarely sensationalized (nor sufficiently highlighted) by the news media.
You're right.
That is true. The media will always go with its own narrative instead of always aiming to be objective.
Yes but when Mayors of cities like San Francisco are saying crime is dropping but others argue crime is still happening, it’s a messaging problem.
Just throwing statistics at people isn’t enough. They need to see it on the streets for themselves.
Besides, in San Francisco plenty of retailers since 2023 have left the Union Square area because crime has not been resolved. Still happening today even though in all fairness, the new Mayor Daniel Lurie has only been in office for a month.
People are always convinced crime is the worst it's ever been.
Individually, yes. Whatever anyone experiences in crime is may be different than what others do.
I'm convinced though that a lot of the fear on crime has been pervasive since the COVID-19 pandemic happened.
On the other hand, when it gets to the point where business investment and activity contracts such as businesses like Bloomindale's moving out of their prime location in San Francisco or a Hilton hotel leaving its long-time location near the Oakland International Airport), then we have a serious problem.
Yes, though a localized one.
"Whatever anyone experiences in crime is may be different than what others do."
Most of the people who think crime is always the worst it's ever been aren't usually crime victims. So it's not about their experiences but about misleading press coverage and really poor memories.