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Democracy Links
VOTER TURNOUT
a League of Women Voters of New Jersey Education Fund
Project
"One of the penalties
for refusing to participate in politics is that
you end up being governed by your inferiors."
- Plato
FACTS
- In 1996, voter turnout fell to 49.4 percent of eligible voters, the
lowest turnout since 1824, when only 26.9 percent of the eligible "free
white males" voted.
- 55 percent of those eligible voted in 1992.
- 31 percent of voters ages 18-20 voted in the 1996 presidential election.
- In New Jersey, 50.98 percent of registered voters voted in the 1996
presidential elections.
Elections Division, State of New Jersey (2006 election turnout)
http://www.state.nj.us/lps/elections/2006results/06generalelection/2006-general-election-chart.pdf
Other 2006 results and links to other years are available at:
http://www.state.nj.us/lps/elections/results_2006_doe.html
Federal Election Commission (FEC), financial reports, Citizens Guide
to contributions and the Law, U.S. voter turnout
http://www.fec.gov/
International Voter Turnout Listing, FEC, statistics courtesy
of the International Foundation for Election Systems (IFES).
http://www.fec.gov/votregis/turn/intl.htm
Alienation Is NOT a Factor in Nonvoting
http://www.lwv.org/AM/Template.cfm?Section=Home&template=/CM/HTMLDisplay.cfm&ContentID=2188
Why Don't We Vote? responses to an
essay contest sponsored by the Center for Voting and Democracy
http://www.fairvote.org/contest/index.html#states
History of Voting Qualifications in New Jersey
http://www.state.nj.us/state/history/voting.html
DID YOU KNOW . . . ?
ONE VOTE
- In 1829, Nicholas Coleman defeated Adam Beatty 2,520 to 2,519 in Kentucky's
election for the U.S. House of Representatives.
- In 1868, one vote saved President Andrew Johnson from impeachment
- In1882, Robert M. Mayo defeated George T. Garrison 10,505 to 10,504
in Virginia's election for U.S. House of Representatives.
- In 1941, one vote saved the selective service system-only twelve weeks
before Pearl Harbor
- In 1980, one vote determined a position on the Sussex County Common
Council, NJ
- In 1981, Thomas Kean won the gubernatorial contest over James Florio
in New Jersey by less than one vote for every third precinct (or 1677
votes) - after a recount.
- In 1983, one vote determined the outcome for the High Bridge Common
Council, NJ
- In 1985, one vote determined the outcome for town council in Union
Beach Borough, NJ.
- In 1985, one vote determined the outcome for Englishtown Borough council,
NJ.
- In 1994, Republican Randall Luthi and Independent Larry Call tied
for the seat in the Wyoming House of Representatives from the Jackson
Hole area, with 1,941 votes each. A recount produced the same result.
Mr. Luthi was finally declared the winner when, in a drawing before
the State Canvassing Board, a PingPong ball bearing his name was pulled
from the cowboy hat of Democratic Governor Mike Sullivan.
- More one vote
facts
A FEW VOTES MADE THE DIFFERENCE
- In 1960, Richard Nixon lost the presidential election and John F.
Kennedy won it by a margin of less than one vote per precinct
- In 1968, Hubert Humphrey lost, and Richard Nixon the presidential
election by a margin of fewer than three votes per precinct
- In 1976, fourteen votes made the difference in a recount when two
candidates tied in Delaware Township, NJ
- In 1976, five votes determined a township committee seat in Union
Township, NJ
- In 1984, ten votes made the difference for one of the winners in Runnemede
Council, NJ
- In 1981, Thomas Kean won the New Jersey gubernatorial contest over
James Florio by only 1677 votes, less than one vote for every third
precinct
- In 2000, the George Bush-Al Gore race in Florida made "too close to
call" a familiar phrase.
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