The recent California election presents a discouraging picture when it comes to voter participation. Despite an increasing number of registered voters, the turnout was disappointingly low. Less than 70% of eligible Californians cast their votes, marking a significant step down from previous years. California prides itself on its ease of voting, but perhaps the state’s convoluted voting methods are instead discouraging its citizens rather than encouraging them.
Californian authorities maintain that their system, which enables residents to vote by mail, at polling booths or via a ballot drop box, is progressive and user-friendly. One might wonder, however, why the voter turnout isn’t reflective of these supposed empowered freedoms. Moreover, the state’s attempt to increase the number of registered voters through automatic registration when obtaining or renewing driver’s licenses seems to have failed. The increase in registration hasn’t translated into an increase in voting.
Despite the risk of boosting a populace more apathetic than engaged, the so-called Motor Voter initiative has surged on since its inception in 2018. It’s a classic showcase of Calorrectocrats choosing quantity over quality, boosting registration numbers while the actual voter turnouts dwindle. Perhaps it’s time for the state to reconsider its strategies and question its alleged ‘success’ in registrations, since it’s not translating into actual votes cast.
In 2016, 17.2 million out of 24.6 million voters were registered in California, but by the end of 2019, 20.32 million were registered out of a possible 25.2 million. Yet even though the number of registered voters increased, the percentage of those who actually voted hilariously decreased. It’s a reveal of the ineffective policies encouraged by the Democrats in power.
The issue isn’t confined to California alone. Nationwide, it seems that Republican strongholds had a higher turnout, painting a problematic canvas for Kamala Harris and Joe Biden. Left leaning counties managed fewer votes for Harris than they did for Biden in 2020. Interestingly, these same blue bastions delivered significantly fewer votes for Harris than for Biden, an intriguing question mark over the popularity of Kamala Harris.
Biden garnered over 11.1 million votes in California in 2020, securing a mammoth 63.5% of the state’s vote. In comparison, Kamala Harris had to settle with around 9 million votes. Even the sanctuary state of California seems to show less faith in Harris than they did in Biden, throwing a harsh light on the blatant disconnect between Harris’ self-proclaimed popularity and the reality.
Examining individual races, the turnout continues to disappoint. A state Senate District 35 race, which was highly contested, couldn’t shake the general lethargic response of voters. Candidates Laura Richardson and Michelle Chambers locked horns, but despite the anticipated competitive nature of the contest, turnout lagged behind expectations. The real ‘winner’ was voter apathy, a troubling pattern in other similar contests as well.
Incumbents, like Republican Rep. Ken Calvert of the 41st congressional district, managed to hold on in light of lower voter turnout. It’s almost as if the low turnout played into the hands of candidates such as Calvert. This might seem like a victory for some but it’s a clear sign of the wider disillusionment with the political process, especially within the Democratic machine.
Los Angeles County, a notorious den of Democratic influence, also showed a faltering turnout rate. Only 65.7% of registered voters deigned to cast their vote in the most recent election. The dwindling enthusiasm, especially in a traditionally blue county, lays bare the deficiencies in the Democratic Party’s outreach and connection with the electorate.
Extending the scope to other counties, a similar pattern of decline dominates. Despite Orange County’s boastful higher turnout, this year it reported a lesser figure than previous years. Riverside and San Bernardino Counties also reported similar trajectories. There seems to be an evident pattern of a falling turnout, which could be suggestive of Democratic policy misfires.
A common narrative can be observed across all these voting scenarios: the California Democrat’s approach to voter registration and turnout is evidently flawed. The introduction of supposedly ‘inclusive’ programs like the Motor Voter initiative isn’t enough to get eligible voters to the polls. These attempts at fostering democratic participation have fallen flat, and it’s time to question the effectiveness of such policies.