Agenda item #1
Voter turnout in Eutopia, Term 5 onwards
T5: 76% T6: 66% T7: 48%
- Yvette Montand
Voter turnout in Eutopia, Term 5 onwards
T5: 76% T6: 66% T7: 48%
- Yvette Montand
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Interesting stats overall. Comparitively we're more or less like Switzerland.
Note, we started off with a fairly high turnout, so we need to see why voter turn out has dropped.
Maybe, it's us...the politicians.?
Josephus
Note, we started off with a fairly high turnout, so we need to see why voter turn out has dropped.
Maybe, it's us...the politicians.?
Josephus
It's a little farfetched to suggest we are most like Switzerland. To say we have such a stable, low turnout is frankly ridiculous. Only two terms ago we had a relatively high percentage voting. Instead of consigning us to inevitable pessimism, we should be asking ourselves 'what's changed?'.
I feel that we are more on par with the UK, with a successively declining turnout.
On a second note, I think we should be looking closely at the German and Italian electoral systems. They have clearly sustained voter enthusiasm, and must be doing something right.
I feel that we are more on par with the UK, with a successively declining turnout.
On a second note, I think we should be looking closely at the German and Italian electoral systems. They have clearly sustained voter enthusiasm, and must be doing something right.
Term 5 was Langley's Administration, maybe his disappearing act caused people to lose faith. Then with Talbott's wildly unproductive cabinet and the almost non-existant NA activity in term 6...
In my opinion we have too many parties. Voters can't choose from the alphabet soup of different parties. In my opinion we should have 2-4 major parties in NA and the rest on regional level.
I disagree. The 4 major parties (CRP, CC, ESRP, and RPE) have all been around during the decline. Why would the emergence of a few new parties make the people stop voting? Maybe they'd change their votes to one of the new parties, but them not voting because of it makes no sense.
The decline and closing of the RD/DA happened during the decline, but they were not popular enough to warrant such a drop in voter turnout.
The decline and closing of the RD/DA happened during the decline, but they were not popular enough to warrant such a drop in voter turnout.
It seems we have already moved on to a discussion of item 2, but before we get more involved in this issue, let me just make two observations on item 1.
- Yvette Montand
As has been pointed out before, the Swiss experience is very different from Eutopia's in that our turnout has declined precipitiously over the last few years, whereas theirs has not. Perhaps more importantly, the low turnout in Swiss elections is explained in part by the strong elements of direct democracy that characterize that country's political system - elements that are absent in Eutopia. This also means that low turnout has different implications in both countries.Josephus I said:
Voter turnout in Germany actually declined throughout the seventies, eighties and nineties (the last German elections of 1998 and 2002 being a reversal of the broader trend). Both Germany and Italy use variants of MMP (mixed member proportionality), the German system being the original MMP-system. However, Italy only switched to that system in the early nineties, and voter turnout has been declining since then. I doubt that the decline is due to the electoral system, though. In general, PR systems (which MMP belongs to, as well as our own system) have a somewhat higher turnout than majority/plurality systems.Esteva said:
- Yvette Montand
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It seems to me that we already have 2-4 major parties in the NA.UBootMan said:
Well, considering that the DA got almost 25% of the vote in the fifth elections, and (together with the CRP) won over 29% in the sixth elections, the DA's failure to field candidates in the seventh elections may in fact be worth looking at. I suspect that your assessment is correct, and that DA-voters, for the most part, simply switched to other partes, but we probably shouldn't be closing any avenues of investigation at this point.Phalanx said:
- Yvette Montand
While I am biased on the subject perhaps the decline in voting and the demise of the DA/RD are results of the same overall problem(s).
Announcement
Please note that agenda items 2, 3 and 4 have been shifted around. I believe it makes more sense to fully explore the nature of declining turnout (now items 2 and 3) before delving into an analysis of its causes (now item 4), as the former may point the way to some of the latter. I hope this is acceptable to the Commission members.
- Yvette Montand
Please note that agenda items 2, 3 and 4 have been shifted around. I believe it makes more sense to fully explore the nature of declining turnout (now items 2 and 3) before delving into an analysis of its causes (now item 4), as the former may point the way to some of the latter. I hope this is acceptable to the Commission members.
- Yvette Montand
Having dealt with agenda item 1, we will now move on to
Item 2: Is turnout declining equally across social segments, or are there pronounced differences among groups?
According to the National Election Studies Group housed at New Lancaster City University, there were indeed clear differences across certain social cleavages in Term 7 voter turnout, the three most significant ones centring around language, gender, and age.
Term 7 voter turnout by language group
English: 60%
Latins: 20%
-- French: 24%
-- Spanish: 16%
Other: 65%
Eutopia: 48%
Term 7 voter turnout by gender
Men: 54%
Women: 42%
Eutopia: 48%
Term 7 voter turnout by age group
18-30: 32%
31-45: 37%
46-60: 52%
>60: 71%
Eutopia: 48%
- Yvette Montand
Item 2: Is turnout declining equally across social segments, or are there pronounced differences among groups?
According to the National Election Studies Group housed at New Lancaster City University, there were indeed clear differences across certain social cleavages in Term 7 voter turnout, the three most significant ones centring around language, gender, and age.
Term 7 voter turnout by language group
English: 60%
Latins: 20%
-- French: 24%
-- Spanish: 16%
Other: 65%
Eutopia: 48%
Term 7 voter turnout by gender
Men: 54%
Women: 42%
Eutopia: 48%
Term 7 voter turnout by age group
18-30: 32%
31-45: 37%
46-60: 52%
>60: 71%
Eutopia: 48%
- Yvette Montand
Forgive me for stating the obvious, but it is clear that in progessively younger generations, voter turnout is progressively lower. It is the older generations, the more mature citizens of our nation who feel the most obliged to lodge their votes.
The question is why. Is it because the older people are simply more intelligent and experienced, and thus realise the importance of voting? Or is it because the younger they are, the more politics seems to them to be a useless and completely obscure part of life?
Additionally, not surprisingly I must add, there is a distinct difference between the English turnout, which is far more satisfactory, and the Latin. I believe this difference is because the Latins in Eutopia feel that by placing their vote, they will not make a difference to their quality of life. They must feel without influence, and neglected.
Lastly is the percentage gap between men and women. The first thing that comes to mind is the possibility that women may not necessarily have the oppurtunity to get to the polling station. Perhaps the answer is postal voting, or the use of other forms of communication.
I await your further analysis.
The question is why. Is it because the older people are simply more intelligent and experienced, and thus realise the importance of voting? Or is it because the younger they are, the more politics seems to them to be a useless and completely obscure part of life?
Additionally, not surprisingly I must add, there is a distinct difference between the English turnout, which is far more satisfactory, and the Latin. I believe this difference is because the Latins in Eutopia feel that by placing their vote, they will not make a difference to their quality of life. They must feel without influence, and neglected.
Lastly is the percentage gap between men and women. The first thing that comes to mind is the possibility that women may not necessarily have the oppurtunity to get to the polling station. Perhaps the answer is postal voting, or the use of other forms of communication.
I await your further analysis.
I have to agree with my esteemed colleague. I believe the latin provinces DO believe that they aren't being fairly represented by the government of EUtopia. I think they feel neglected and ignored. Even though I, as MHES, spent some time down there and worked hard to get the Hurteau Fever dealt with, I am thinking that they still feel that the 'Anglos' in central government don't care about them.
Even with quite a bit of campaigning by numerous parties and individuals in the latin provinces that still seems to be the case. Which means that words are not enough there, but actions. The disillusionment that much of the population that votes must feel can be directly seen with the voter turnout as well as the recent strikes there.
With the still fluxing status of Maritcon as well it would definitely appear that the latin provinces need some special attention. But I also think we should incorporate the W.E.T. fully into EUtopia as well. I think something must be done, but as to what, I don't really know. I am somewhat stumped as to what we can do to truly effect voter turnout change there without doing tangible things in government to PROVE that we really DO care about the latin provinces. Less talk, more action for the latin provinces will really be the only way to prove to the populace there that the government cares and wants them to be more involved in voting.
But we have to do real, concrete things that effect the latin provinces in a positive manner.
Even with quite a bit of campaigning by numerous parties and individuals in the latin provinces that still seems to be the case. Which means that words are not enough there, but actions. The disillusionment that much of the population that votes must feel can be directly seen with the voter turnout as well as the recent strikes there.
With the still fluxing status of Maritcon as well it would definitely appear that the latin provinces need some special attention. But I also think we should incorporate the W.E.T. fully into EUtopia as well. I think something must be done, but as to what, I don't really know. I am somewhat stumped as to what we can do to truly effect voter turnout change there without doing tangible things in government to PROVE that we really DO care about the latin provinces. Less talk, more action for the latin provinces will really be the only way to prove to the populace there that the government cares and wants them to be more involved in voting.
But we have to do real, concrete things that effect the latin provinces in a positive manner.
If I may, I'd like to remind my fellow Commissioners that the work of this Commission will be greatly aided by examing the issue before us in as systematic a fashion as possible, so I would recommend that we follow the agenda. It is my understanding that we are currently still at the stage of gathering data. The interpretation of said data, and even more so any discussion about potential solutions to perceived problems, should probably wait until we have a complete picture of the situation (i.e., once data concerning item 3 is available).
- Yvette Montand
- Yvette Montand
No need to apologize, Mr. Chamberlain-Beaulieu. I don't mean to stifle debate, I just think it'll be more fruitful to do things in a certain order - i.e., let's collect the data first, then figure out what it means, and discuss potential solutions in the final stage.Esteva said:
- Yvette Montand
Maybe latins don't want to vote because there is no latin party except MRA which is/was socialist and dead
I shall have to resign from this Commission, I'm afraid. As I'm no longer a member of the RPE, they will have to send a new representative. I wish my fellow commissioners good luck.
To reiterate: let's keep discussion about possible reasons for turnout developments for the next stage of this Commission's inquiries. Thank you.
- Yvette Montand
- Yvette Montand
Mr. Chamberlain-Beaulieu, it is with regret that I accept your resignation from CVED. Should the Commission decide to conduct public hearings in the future, I hope you will still be willing to contribute to CVED's work through those channels.
Sincerely,
Yvette Montand
Sincerely,
Yvette Montand