Tuesday, November 24, 2015
Humboldt's 23 Percent Voter Turnout Not as Dismal as it Sounds
Posted By Thadeus Greenson @ThadeusGreenson on Tue, Nov 24, 2015 at 4:13 PM
It’s official.
The Humboldt County Board of Supervisors certified the county’s election results this morning, making official what’s long been known: Harbor District incumbents Pat Higgins and Greg Dale have each won four more years on the board.
In the final tally, 23.28 percent — 13,897 — of Humboldt’s registered voters cast ballots in the election. If that number sounds dismally low, consider two things: If you consider eligible voters — not just those registered — the turnout drops to 13.77 percent; that’s actually better than at some points in the recent past.
Of the last 12 November elections, this year’s turnout is actually better than that of four others: 2003, 3007, 2011 and 2013, which had the lowest turnout in recent memory with 21.71 percent.
Nationally, voter turnouts have been trending downward, with pundits positing a host of possible explanations: voter apathy, voter fatigue, the economy and a disconnect between everyday lives and partisan politics. While the numbers haven’t been crunched nationally for this month’s election, an analysis of last year’s midterm election found voter turnout to be at a 72-year low, with only six states seeing more than half their registered voters cast ballots. Nationwide, voter turnout averaged 37 percent, according to a study by the Boston-based Nonprofit Vote.
To register to vote in Humboldt County, click here. For the county’s newly certified election results, click here.
The Humboldt County Board of Supervisors certified the county’s election results this morning, making official what’s long been known: Harbor District incumbents Pat Higgins and Greg Dale have each won four more years on the board.
In the final tally, 23.28 percent — 13,897 — of Humboldt’s registered voters cast ballots in the election. If that number sounds dismally low, consider two things: If you consider eligible voters — not just those registered — the turnout drops to 13.77 percent; that’s actually better than at some points in the recent past.
Of the last 12 November elections, this year’s turnout is actually better than that of four others: 2003, 3007, 2011 and 2013, which had the lowest turnout in recent memory with 21.71 percent.
Nationally, voter turnouts have been trending downward, with pundits positing a host of possible explanations: voter apathy, voter fatigue, the economy and a disconnect between everyday lives and partisan politics. While the numbers haven’t been crunched nationally for this month’s election, an analysis of last year’s midterm election found voter turnout to be at a 72-year low, with only six states seeing more than half their registered voters cast ballots. Nationwide, voter turnout averaged 37 percent, according to a study by the Boston-based Nonprofit Vote.
To register to vote in Humboldt County, click here. For the county’s newly certified election results, click here.
Speaking of...
Comments
Showing 1-1 of 1
Readers also liked…
About The Author
Thadeus Greenson
Bio:
Thadeus Greenson is the news editor of the North Coast Journal.
Thadeus Greenson is the news editor of the North Coast Journal.
more from the author
-
'Inadvertent Disclosure'
Eureka City Schools emails shed light on Jacobs property swap
- Jul 25, 2024
-
Jackson's Retreat
The contract clause that allowed Cal Poly Humboldt's embattled president to step down into a high-paid instructional position
- Jul 25, 2024
-
'Profound Concern'
Alleged victim distressed by DA's handling of hate speech, antisemitic threats case
- Jul 25, 2024
- More »
