The worst voter turnout in 72 years.

[kentuck]

http://www.nytimes.com/2014/11/12/opinion/the-worst-voter-turnout-in-72-years.html?smprod=nytcore-iphone&smid=nytcore-iphone-share

<snip>
The abysmally low turnout in last week’s midterm elections — the lowest in more than seven decades — was bad for Democrats, but it was even worse for democracy. In 43 states, less than half the eligible population bothered to vote, and no state broke 60 percent.

In the three largest states — California, Texas and New York — less than a third of the eligible population voted. New York’s turnout was a shameful 28.8 percent, the fourth-lowest in the country, despite three statewide races (including the governor) and 27 House races.

<snip>
Over all, the national turnout was 36.3 percent; only the 1942 federal election had a lower participation rate at 33.9 percent. The reasons are apathy, anger and frustration at the relentlessly negative tone of the campaigns.

Republicans ran a single-theme campaign of pure opposition to President Obama, and Democrats were too afraid of the backlash to put forward plans to revive the economy or to point out significant achievements of the last six years. Neither party gave voters an affirmative reason to show up at the polls.

....more

[daredtowork]

1. hmm so it wasn't just local

It was notable the lowest turnout since the 1970s where I live. And the UPPER middle "machine" remains in power, blithely ignoring those who didn't vote. They even got away with some gerrymandering to further reinforce their hold.

[malaise]

2. I hope you saw the ReTHUGs salivating

a few minutes ago. They are in love with their mandate.
Fuck the fucking fuckers!!!

[JaneyVee]

3. America should have a do-over.

[Boom Sound 416]

4. The president's approval is roughly 41%

that rating is down 10 points since his reelection.

I think those democrats just stayed home because they are angry with the party and will never vote republican.

It was a protest.

[upaloopa]

6. Like cutting of your nose to spite your face

[Boom Sound 416]

7. Kind of. Nt

[kentuck]

8. Neither the President nor the Democrats fought back sufficiently...

...against the relentless attacks of the last couple of years. They looked defeated before the race began. After IRS, Benghazi, Syria, ISIS, and Ebola and all the charges of "incompetence" going unanswered, Democrats felt beaten down. It's not that the Republicans did so well. It's that the Democrats really sucked.

[Boom Sound 416]

10. It's possible. Whatever reason why

They stayed home. That seems to be what they did.

One side came out. One side abstained.

[cascadiance]

5. Vote by Mail nationwide! Oregon had 69% turnout!

... and they had strong gains for Democrats in their state legislature!

And coincidentally, with Oregon passing legalization of marijuana, look at this interesting stat...

States with vote by mail:
Washington, Oregon, Colorado

States with legal marijuana:
Washington, Oregon, Colorado, and now Alaska

Hmm....

Now Washington still needs to ditch top two primary (which Oregon learned from Washington's and California's mistakes and voted it down more than any other measure on the ballot!). And Colorado needs to fix some things to keep big money from shutting down candidates like Udall from winning, but I think getting in vote by mail will help us a lot fight the voter suppression that we've been having infect this country too much recently.

[kentuck]

9. I was surprised to see that Kentucky rated #12 in turnout.

That seemed rather high for Kentucky??

[HereSince1628]

11. WI had OK turnout, here turnout is no longer just a good thing for Dems

Our teahadists are highly motivated to vote.

Compared to other states our relatively big turnout didn't really translate into significant gains, same thing that happened in the recall.

At least here it may be time to realize there is a populist movement at work on the otherside.

Sort of creepily a reminder of bad popular things like the rise of the national socialists in Germany.

[kentuck]

12. Interesting post.

I think there may be some validity to your point.

[Bluenorthwest]

13. This is incorrect, Oregon turnout was 69.5%

"Turnout in this fall's election reached 69.5 percent, just half a percent short of turnout in 2010 and 2006 and 1.5 percent better than in 2002, Secretary of State Kate Brown said Wednesday.

More than 1.5 million Oregonians cast ballots, a record high for a non-presidential election, while nearly 700,000 registered voters sat out."

http://www.oregonlive.com/politics/index.ssf/2014/11/voter_turnout_of_695_percent_i.html

[cascadiance]

14. Hmm... Texas second lowest on the list. I wonder how much that was due to voter suppression?!

With all of the voter suppression that was legitimized before the election. Could explain a lot why Wendy Davis lost as heavily as she did.

[kentuck]

15. As I recall, when George W Bush beat Ann Richards for Governor of Texas...?

the turnout was about 29%? So Texas has a record of very low turnouts.

[Rex]

16. I wonder how much of that is voter suppression nation wide?

Of course we will never know thanks to a complacent media.

[Spitfire of ATJ]

19. They don't do exit polls anymore. Probably trust the machines on turnout too.

[hollysmom]

17. if it is any comfirt, Ilive in a republican city in a blue county and state

the turnout was abysmal.

[jillan]

18. When will Democrats ever learn that in order to get people to vote you have to give them a reason

to vote!

I am 58 and I am so sick and tired of belonging to a political party that doesn't have a clue on how to control the message.
Instead of getting better at it, they are getting worse.

[raven mad]

20. 55% here - cuz the preachers got the fundies riled.

After the judges gave our people the right to marry whomever they wanted.