Remember Vote or Die? P. Diddy’s honest, if misguided, attempt to make voting a priority among youth? Enlisting that paragon of political awareness Paris Hilton, as well as other innocuous celebrities trying to fight for change?
Well, nothing revolutionary happened in 2004 except a lot of talk; Bush returned to the comfort of the Oval Office providing the United States with four more years of faux cowboy swagger.
So, what happened? All that pro-Kerry idealism translated into nothing but sentiment and hope.
According to the Federal Election Commission, of Americans who are registered to vote only 55.3 percent cast a ballot, a little over half all registered voters; the highest turnout since 1968.
It’s hard to blame voter apathy for the lack of political participation, yet it seems to be a cause. What precisely its origins are is unclear. Perhaps, it’s been the specter of Nixon and Watergate or the Baby Boomer distrust of authority that’s dominated presidential elections for almost four decades.
Still, for the majority of young voters involving themselves in this election, Watergate may well have been a flood or a random question on a history exam.
What could make this year’s election different from previous ones? Well, voter participation is usually higher when there is no incumbent; and for the first time since 1952, neither a president nor vice president is running.
Incumbents usually dominate election unless that president has been doing a horrific job of running the country (think Hoover and the Great Depression).
Plus, Americans are less likely to hand over the reigns of power in the middle of a crisis, unless they are wholly dissatisfied with the president.
FDR led the nation through the Great Depression and World War II, elected for three consecutive terms. A similar situation has held true for Bush’s presidency, considering 9/11, military involvement in Afghanistan, and the war in Iraq; these have been tumultuous years.
Another positive sign that shows voter apathy may be on the decline is the sheer number of political debates on television.
Since April 2007, twenty debates have aired on cable or local television; and, not only has the amount of debates been high, so too has the viewership. The most recent debate on January 31 courted 8.3 million people.
This election year has the potential to have one of the largest turnouts in years. The candidates have injected politics with a much needed vivacity.
The American public also seems to be more engaged, especially via the Internet. There’s an egalitarian spirit to the whole election which may also promote a higher voter turnout.
The 2004 campaign seemed to be geared solely towards young voters, an especially difficult premise considering that that demographic has historically held the lowest voter turnout.
This time around campaigns seem to be trying to attract everyone: black, white, Hispanic, young, old, conservative, liberal, male, female, gay, straight. Everyone has something at stake in this election.
In 2004, it felt like Americans were voting between the lesser of two evils, or electing whomever one hated the least.
This time there is a bevy of fresh faces (some fresher than others, critics might say) who are engaging American voters more noticeably than ever.