Tell Us Why You Don’t Participate In Democracy
One of the callers to KXLY-Extra’s election-night coverage boasted - that’s right, boasted - that he hadn’t voted in 10 years.
A decade of determined disinvolvement.
Co-host Mike Fitzsimmons dressed him down like a Thanksgiving turkey and went on to other callers.
Judging by final returns, however, that caller was not home alone. Tens of thousands of registered voters in Spokane County also elected not to make the trip to the polls on Tuesday. And thousands more, though eligible, don’t even register in the first place.
This is not a one-time phenomenon, of course. Voter apathy is as much a fixture of the American political landscape as yard signs. So I wonder …
How many non-voters are there who, like Fitzsimmons’ caller, wear their democratic abdication as a badge of honor? Or, if not quite that, have a plausible rationale for leaving the civic decision-making to others? And would they care to write, phone or send a fax explaining their reasons to “Bagpipes”?
If so, the fine print at the end of this column gives all the addresses and numbers.
The checks (and balances) are in the mail
And while we’re on the subject of election turnouts, some counties in Washington state are experimenting with vote-by-mail systems in which all voters cast, in effect, absentee ballots.
No trudging on snowy days or nights to the polls. For that matter, no polls.
How would you react to such a system if it were implemented here? Or statewide? What would be the advantages and disadvantages?
Election Day flakes
Speaking of snowy days, Tuesday morning’s first snowfall of the year slowed more than just traffic to the polling places.
Anyone care to evaluate city, county and state snow-removal performance?
OK, one more question about politics
The campaign season is over. Not that the next one hasn’t started already, but looking back, what were the memorable incidents of Campaign ‘95? The good as well as the bad and the ugly.
, DataTimes MEMO: “Bagpipes” appears Tuesdays and Thursdays. To respond, call Cityline at 458-8800, category 9881, from a Touch-Tone phone; or send a fax to 459-5098 or e-mail to dougf@spokesman.com. You also can leave Doug Floyd a message at 459-5577, extension 5466.