Deseret News | Utah has nation's worst voter turnout rate

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Utah has nation's worst voter turnout rate

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JW | 10:05 a.m. July 5, 2008

If my fellow Democrats would put up some candidates with credance such as Jim Matheson, Utah would be a two party state. Matheson is fiscally conservative and socially moderate, and he wins as did his father. Blaming the LDS church is a poor excuse for my party's failures.

Enjoy | 10:10 a.m. July 5, 2008

I vote every time.

It's good to read the Rush/Hannity et. al. Code Word (Socialist) so often in these posts.

By the way, please stay off our socialist roads.

Cleaner air for all.

To: And the Answer is | 10:15 a.m. July 5, 2008

That is such a typical Utah response to someone who disagrees with the status quo. My answer is, no you can move, because more and more of us are going to eventually take this state over and restore democracy here. Utah needs to be liberated from the Taliban.

Comments continue below

Darin | 10:16 a.m. July 5, 2008

I'm with Cynthia on this. These are the results of a one-party state.

So many of my fellow members of the LDS faith are riled by the notion of tying this issue to our faith. But let's be honest. Our culture has produced a one-party system - one that is rife with corruption right now.

Maybe the church doesn't tell us how to vote on every issue or which candidate to vote for, but that doesn't stop up us from lining up like sheep, voting straight republican - often against our own self interests. It's the "moral" issues that get us to line up together - at the expense of real-life practical matters that might improve our lives. We hear the republican position on abortion, for example - and disregard republican positions on education, social welfare, etc.

It's hard to break the mold, disagree with your neighbors. Those who do probably find it hard to remain positive, and get out there and vote when it seems it just won't count. I hope the current scandals in our one-party state will shake things up, entice people to think outside their traditional boundaries, and renew voter interest in general.

Jerry | 10:15 a.m. July 5, 2008

TGo the real reason is right here, are you nuts!
To Marie, I also live in Washington and I feel my vote counts because I look at the person and his/her politics and not at a party name!
If Bush has not caused people to rethink their love of party, then nothing will.
Republicans need to get a life beyond blaming everyone for thei problems except themselves. That kind of thinking is a problem that needs professional help.
To those who said if you don't like it move out. I agree. I did! Glad I made the move!

Henry Drummond | 10:17 a.m. July 5, 2008

There just isn't an excuse for this. I remember when we had the highest voter turnout rate in the nation. We can't blame the Republicans, the Church, or the election laws. More people just have to figure out that if they don't participate they are not going to get the government they want.

How sad ... | 10:26 a.m. July 5, 2008

that we have the world's best system of representative government, and we don't bother to show up?

(And yet, there are plenty of people out there willing to complain about our country.)

Myopic | 10:31 a.m. July 5, 2008

If Utah's Democrats continue to blame the LDS church for their failure as a party, they are destined to remain in obscurity. Running Pete Ashdown as a senate candidate was comical. Try putting up someone who is a Blue Dog like Matheson.

To Henry Drummond | 10:49 a.m. July 5, 2008

The problem in Utah is that by NOT voting they are still getting the type of government they want "Republican" so why should they vote?

Voting isn't easy | 10:47 a.m. July 5, 2008

During the primary election in February, I put my mindset out there to go and vote. I knew I had registered, but since I had recently moved, I needed to re-register. I went to my local elementary school, which was less than a block away, to go vote. I was turned away, the excuse being that I was in the wrong district. They told me where to go, and when I went there my information was not in the book. How can I vote when the state can't even keep track of my records?

That is why voter turnout is so low in Utah. It is too hard to know where to go or what to do when you are younger. I was 22 at the time, and it took me half a day in order to cast my vote.

I won't even go on about the whole choosing your party thing.

To: rkbl | 10:58 a.m. July 5, 2008

Ever heard of voting by mail? Is it available in Utah? That way you would not need to leave your home, or office, or wherever. Just check the boxes (hopefully after you have checked out the candidates and issues), and mail it in.

Percentages? | 11:16 a.m. July 5, 2008

It appears from recent statistics that Utah is made up of approximately 62.4% "Mormon".
Salt Lake City is approximately 55% non-Mormon.

Of the 62.4% "Mormon" share of Utah population, at least 50% are not active.

So - you're blaming the approximately 31.2% "active" Mormon population for the abysmal voter turnout. According to these percentages, 68.8% of Utah's population is either non-Mormon, or non-practicing Mormon (and thereby presumably not 'controlled' by the LDS leadership).

A more interesting statistic to know would be what percentage of which group is voting, or not.

arc | 11:21 a.m. July 5, 2008

It was posted that the Closed GOP primary is a good part of the blame. I would agree.

Come On Now | 11:28 a.m. July 5, 2008

I am LDS, was raised in a union working family and always voted Democrat. I was even a delegate at the 1986 Utah State Democratic convention. But after leaving Utah in 1990 and seeing how democrats operated outside of Utah, I stopped voting for them. They had nothing to offer me anymore and the value system that I was brought up with in Utah.

When Rush Limbaugh started to broadcast nationally. I listened and realized that many of the things my parents taught me to believe fell in line with conservative ideas more than anything democrats had to offer me. I occasionally will listen to Air America and wonder what happened to the party I embraced in my youth. I find very few ideas of the Democrats appealing to me. For every Jim Matheson they produce, they produce another 10 Maxine Waters. However, I am not a big fan of Orrin Hatch either. He has been ineffective his last 2 terms.

Voter apathy comes from neither party appealing to most Utahns. Utah politics is a strange inbred organization. Neither party matches up with anything outside of the state. Utah Republicans and Democrats are still an enigma to me.

Ing | 11:53 a.m. July 5, 2008

The reasons people gave for not voting were interesting; I've succumbed to several of those before. Still, it's appalling to see how many people say they're just not interested or not involved in politics.

What kind of democracy are we going to have when fully half the people just aren't interested in electing their government representatives?

Answer: The one we have now.

A government that people watch from afar like it's a reality TV show. Elections that get hijacked by loud, organized minority groups and narrow, often irrelevant issues--the evangelical Christian right for Republicans, the gay marriage advocates for Democrats, the abortion debate, etc. Politicians who only need to mobilize certain key audiences to win, and ignore the moderate majority.

I could go on, but I won't.

Another reason people in Utah don't vote, on a local and state level, at least, is the monolithic sameness of the people who do vote. Republican. Republican. Republican. Republican. What motivation does anyone have? Why vote Republican when you know everyone else already is? It'd be wasted effort. Why vote Democrat in Utah? Half the time there isn't even a second candidate in the race. How democratic is that?

gwa | 12:08 p.m. July 5, 2008

I wish the Democrats would come up with some more candidates like Scott Mathison and Jim Orton or Jim Mathison. When that happens those LDS Republicans would gladly vote for a Democrat.

Thomas Pain | 12:19 p.m. July 5, 2008

LDS leader encourage church members to vote. They also do not support any political parties. Any LDS person can be a Democrat, Republican, Independant, ect...
I have no problem with electing good democrats like Jim Matheson (and I'm a registered Republican). He has shown to respect most of what I value.
I could vote for Obama or I could vote for McCain. I haven't decided yet.
Use some common sense when you start connecting religion and voting.

re: STEWART | 12:34 p.m. July 5, 2008

Political ignorance? Are you seriously saying that is why people don't vote? I think that with all of the information available today if anything voters are smarter than ever. Not voting has nothing to do with ignorance in my opinion. It has to do with enough intelligence to know that the people running are not worth the vote. NOT VOTING IS A VOTE!

As for apathy, if you call apathy the fact that the majority of people are so busy working just to be able to pay the mortgage or rent... you sound like you are already in office.

Pondtown man | 12:36 p.m. July 5, 2008

The caucus system in Utah is a joke. The local caucuses do NOT represent the silent majority. Instead very vocal special interest groups have taken over the nominating process. There is not much left to vote for. I went to a local caucus meeting and felt like I was in a stereotypical movie of the South in the 1950s. I was very scared to be there. And these people are my neighbors?

Anonymous | 12:47 p.m. July 5, 2008

The results are "pre ordained" if you will. It's not Mugabe, but the idea is the same.

utarded | 12:57 p.m. July 5, 2008

The LDS and the GOP is like Chris Buttars running for president of the NAACP.

party tarnished | 1:03 p.m. July 5, 2008

The LDS Church has never told me how or who to vote for. Get out and vote is the same thing I hear year after year. I respect that

I refused to forced to declare that Iï¿½m a Republican in order to vote in the primaries. Therefore I donï¿½t vote in the primaries. I remain independent so I can choose and vote for who I think is the best candidate. I do vote and Iï¿½m not party oriented, I am candidate oriented.

A majority of the problem, in my opinion, exists in the Wasatch Front area. South or East of the border (Provo) doesnï¿½t exist in either party, with the exception of St. George. Everything in between is non existent for people of Southern Utah. For example: Huntsman who is very popular as governor, is not that popular where I live. He is a Wasatch Front governor not a Utah Governor. I realize that 80% of the people live in the Wasatch Front area.

Vote for the candidate, not the stupid parties, In other words, allow everyone to vote in the primaries whether they be Republicanï¿½s or Democrats. Who knows, maybe this study would have turned out differently.

no surprise | 1:28 p.m. July 5, 2008

Utah has nation's worst voter turnout rate.
Why does this NOT surprise me?

Moessers | 1:39 p.m. July 5, 2008

It amazes me how people in this state love to tout anything that Utah leads in, like low cancer rates or heart disease, but when it comes to more negative stats of greater significance like low voter turn out, highest rate of bankruptcies, highest rate of teen suicide, or highest rates of depression, people scramble to make excuses and say everybody's got it all wrong.

Mike | 2:08 p.m. July 5, 2008

I see this problem from a different angle. In Utah for the most part we are choosing between one right wing repulican canadate or antother right wing canidate. Yes I am a moderate democrat and active LDS, but it's easy to see that many people in the state don't vote becuase they know a right wing republican will win. What incentive is there to vote? [Even if your republican, the canidates are clones] Thus no change will occur. There is very little constructive debate when all the opionions are polarized to the far right. It's unfortunate.

Madden | 2:24 p.m. July 5, 2008

What we need are people voting in the primary and people involved in the party caucuses. Honestly, with the crazy 2-party disparity in stands, most of the decisions that matter to a person are made very early in the political process (exactly why party leaders can maintain their influence so well - the public has very little input during the stages that matter).

Anonymous | 2:36 p.m. July 5, 2008

I voted, but I know part of the problem in my area is that the voting place seems to change every election. People get tired of trying to figure out where to go to vote. A lot of people aren't willing to take the extra time it takes to go on line or call around to figure out where the polling place is this time.

Oh Please | 2:40 p.m. July 5, 2008

Why vote? It's all decided. The Republicans have made it impossible to have free, open elections. The primary is closed to me (even though I as a taxpayer have to pay for it), the Republican masters of the universe decide who the candidates will be, and then they govern behind closed doors in their private caucuses. This is truly the Fascist State of Utah.

Roger | 3:22 p.m. July 5, 2008

Moessers 1:39 - How can anyone ignore the negative stats about Utah when people like yourself keep rubbing them into everyone's faces? I wouldn't be surprised if Utah was also #1 in the amount of residents who whine and complain about everything around them, yet do nothing to change it. Sound familiar?

Oh Please 2:40 p.m. - If you truly feel Utah is a "fascist" state just remember, "All that is necessary for the triumph of evil is for good men do nothing."

Tell Me Where and When to Vote | 4:01 p.m. July 5, 2008

We moved to Utah recently and called neighbors to find where to go to vote. Most didnï¿½t know. One, a neighbor lady who is a precinct worker, told us where to go to vote only to find that was the wrong place.

We take the Deseret News and found nothing of where to vote, date, time etc.. We found nothing, absolutely nothing. We received nothing in the mail.

The state from which we moved spends some money and sends every registered voter a pre-election mailer. It tells the date of the election, who is running, by party, as well as other issues before the electorate and gives the address as well as the starting and closing times of the voting place. We would post this mailer in a prominent place to remind us.

NONE of this is available here in Utah. Since everyone doesnï¿½t take a newspaper and specifics of voting times, places, etc. are not given in the TV news programs or any other place it appears, mail seems to be the way to go. Bite the bullet, Utah, and let your people know ! Weï¿½ll pay our part for the notices and postage! !

John | 4:34 p.m. July 5, 2008

The majority of people in Utah do not read newspapers or listen to the news, and thus are not informed of what is going on in politics. A relatively small group of people can influence elections. In Utah, that is the right wing. They consist of the current leadership, i.e., Curtis, Bramble, Valentine, Clark, etc. They control the party, and continue to want even more power. Until more people get involved, very little will change.

Mormons in Utah = Republican | 4:36 p.m. July 5, 2008

JW,

Utah Democrats have Bennion Spencer, Morgan Bowen and Jim Matheson this year. If you think they are candidates without "credence" I suggest you visit their respective websites. To claim the Democratic Party hasn't put up candidates with "credence" is false. This year's Congressional slate is a field of superbly qualified candidates who have put forth a clear vision.

In 2006 we had Pete Ashdown run for Senate, Steve Olsen ran in District 1 , Jim Matheson in District 2 and Christian Burridge in my District. They put a lot of time, energy and finances into each of their respective campaigns.

In 2004, former Attorney General R. Paul Van Dam ran for Senate while Steve Thompson ran for the House. These candidates had credence as well. The problem is that candidates don't want to invest their time, energy and financial resources to a race that they aren't going to win. It puts a strain on their families and is unfair to them so this has a lot to do with the culture in the Church.

When I mentioned that James E. Faust was a Democrat I had several people laugh and call me a liar and said he couldn't be.

Many leave Church because of you | 4:49 p.m. July 5, 2008

Myopic,

"If Utah's Democrats continue to blame the LDS church for their failure as a party, they are destined to remain in obscurity."

As a recent convert who did not grow up in Utah I'm outraged after mo0ving her and seeing this. In my Branch before moving to Utah I could easily find Democrats, Republicans and many independents yet doing so in my Ward now (there are 5 of us) is impossible.

"Running Pete Ashdown as a senate candidate was comical. Try putting up someone who is a Blue Dog like Matheson."

We did that and it failed and we are doing it again and it is likely to fail again. No matter what kind of candidate Democrats put up the outcome is pretty much exactly the same. As a Mormon Democrat I take exception to your comment and I will say this once: Having lived in and outside of Utah and having been a member for a brief period of time I can clearly see the difference between Utah Mormons and those in the mission field.

Mormon Democrats have had it. Those of us fortunate enough not to grow up in Utah can withstand the attack on our testimony.

Right on, Cynthia | 4:55 p.m. July 5, 2008

Sometimes it's hard to vote if you feel it would put you in conflict with the Church. I think a reason why Utah numbers are so low is that some LDS feel guilty about voting Democrat. Some don't vote at all, and then Republicans always win and you get people like Chris Buttars....

We need to testify that not all LDS are Republican robots, as the antis always claim. For me healthcare and the environment are a more important moral issues than gay marriage. I'll be voting Obama, right here in Utah, for the first time in years.

Bill | 5:00 p.m. July 5, 2008

If the members of the LDS Church vote like they usually do, it is best if they do stay home. Remember when Pres. Heber Grant begged them to NOT vote to repeal prohibition & they apostatized & went against the Lord's Prophet? Now they have the worst left wing Rep. as their senator, Harry Reed, they could find in Wash. DC, so PLEASE stay home you apostate members. Thank you.

l | 5:09 p.m. July 5, 2008

According to the Census Bureau, 68 percent of Utahns voted in the 2004 general election, which was higher than the national rate of 64 percent. That is 13th place. 2004 was a presidential election, with little happening in 2006 (most states were having gubernatorial elections, but Utah wasn't). 43% of Utahns voted in 2002 and 60% in 2000. We don't care as much in non-presidential elections.

Nationwide, 47% of those under 25 voted, with numbers going up dramatically with age-80% of those 55 or older voted. Like the article says, we are a young state (that's an explanation, not an excuse).

Utah has higher levels of education and people working and lower numbers living below the poverty lines, compared to national averages. Those with higher education and working generally voted at higher rates. So we have some characteristics pulling up and some pulling down.

Anyway, we ought to look at what's going on and figure out what can help, not just try to prove that Utah is a good or bad place to live.

My suggestion that might help get younger voters out-online voter registration. We also need to address the issue of apathy in non-presidential election years.

Voters | 5:35 p.m. July 5, 2008

This is the time for voters to start scrutinizing all the candidates before voting. Voting (R) or (D) straight across the board is messing up this state. We have people in positions that should not be there. If you have a business and needed to hire someone you would look to hire someone with the best credentials BUT when you vote you pick a person without the best credentials because they belong to a particular party. Remember the elected officals run your personal business. Spend some time at that voting booth so we don't have to read about how a person in power should of never been put there.

Only the ignorant vote.... | 5:40 p.m. July 5, 2008

I,

"We don't care as much in non-presidential elections."

Enough said! These voters don't know anything about what takes place between Presidential elections and couldn't name all 100 Senators or a fair number of Representatives if their life depended on it.

Ask them to name their members of the City Council, County Commission, State Legislature or even who the Lt. Governor is and on average they wouldn't be able to name them. That's proof enough something is wrong with our system.

"My suggestion that might help get younger voters out-online voter registration. We also need to address the issue of apathy in non-presidential election years."

The issues, legislation and policy are too complex so most people who don't vote recognize that they aren't qualified to vote. They don't have enough information and there is no way to recall if they make a mistake so they choose not to vote. When you ask a young person why they don't vote it comes down to they have better things to do with their time. The amount of time that it would take to REALLY be informed would be equilivent to a full-time student (39 hours a week).

Utah Voters must wake up | 5:52 p.m. July 5, 2008

Utah voters are young uneducated scared of their own shadows robots that have to be lead by their hand to do something by someone else, if and when the sprit moves them, and even misses the point when the LDS Church strongly urges them to get political, just not in church, and unless it's not in The Book Of Mormon, black and white, most are totaly lost. That's why Utah has the worst voting record in the Country, they would rather start a feeding frenzy in a blog, than vote at the polls. Than whine about it latter when something is wrong that they don't like. Or is not moral. That's sad folk's, and it makes me mad as heck, to even see this study, when most all in Utah are Republican's, with common sense, and I thought they knew better. Guess not!. Guess they are mostly moderate's and liberals. That's real sad. Utah voters must wake up and smell their energy drinks (seeing they don't drink coffee)and get with it.

I am proud to be a Mormon and also a Republican and a true American plus a voter.

DL | 5:50 p.m. July 5, 2008

My good friend has been involved with UTAH Politics for over forty years. He has seen people switch parties to get that R by their name and get elected. Views or policies didn't change they just needed that R to get elected.

Hiring full-time Research Asst | 6:04 p.m. July 5, 2008

Voters,

"This is the time for voters to start scrutinizing all the candidates before voting."

How do you suggest they do that? In my precinct there are 2 major party candidates for President and several third party candidates, 3 people running for Congress, 3 people for Governor, 3 for Lt. Governor, 3 for Attorney General, 2 for State Treasurer, 4 for State Auditor, 3 for State House, and 2 for State School Board. That's a grand total of 25+ candidates that voters have to scrutinized in my Precinct.

Let's assume that they take 2 hours to visit their websites (this isn't real research) and study their positions in detail. That's a total of 50 hours of research. This doesn't include the extensive study of issues, policies and specific legislation which is also necessary.

"If you have a business and needed to hire someone you would look to hire someone with the best credentials BUT when you vote you pick a person without the best credentials because they belong to a particular party."

Businesses often make arbitary decisions in hiring and if there are numerous candidates they will have a staff conduct the search. Will you be my research assistant?

JC | 6:12 p.m. July 5, 2008

To JC | 7:57 a.m. July 5, 2008
If you continue to believe the deck is stacked and voting is pointless then it will continue to be that way. Your only voice is your vote and if the majority of people who don't vote Republican share your logic the Republican party doesn't have to take you into consideration because you guys don't vote. Maybe you still lose or maybe you might win some but you will never become a threat to the status quo or have your views and concerns taken seriously by sitting at home being silent.

Richard | 6:19 p.m. July 5, 2008

The reason is that we have a one-party system. The Republican always wins. But, on the other hand, the Democrats, over the past 10-20 years, abandoned the values of most Utahns.

What a crock | 6:21 p.m. July 5, 2008

If you don't like the way things are get out and vote. Saying, "well we all know how it's going to turn out anyway", is a loser attitude and gives you the chance to moan and groan some more. It's always easier to blame someone or something, (or some church) than it is to take responsibility. All this passive-aggressiveness gets irritating to those of us who participate in the voting process. Don't like who gets elected? Then work to get someone else elected instead of waiting for someone else to come save you. Or just shut-up and admit you'd rather complain than do something about it.

linda | 6:25 p.m. July 5, 2008

There is not primary. Almost all the races are decided before the primary. Utah politics is controlled by a few in the Republican party. It is time for a change. If there are 2 or more candidates for any office, then the voters should decide. Not the cacus and the Republican leaders.

tony | 6:42 p.m. July 5, 2008

Maybe Utah has to many JW's

Dixie Dan | 6:43 p.m. July 5, 2008

As long as you have basically a one party state, why should anyone vote?

arc | 7:30 p.m. July 5, 2008

The census didn't release, in this survey, if they were legal or not, it did release if they were citizens or not. They show no "non-citizens" voting. They do show
% of the 18+ are non-citizens in Utah.

It lists 112,000 non citizens of voting age
It lists 1,753,000 voting age people of which
it lists 1,641,000 voting age citizens.
or about 6.4% are non citizens of voting age in Utah

In the US
220,603,000 voting age people of which
201,073,000 voting age citizens
19,530,000 non citizens of voting age
or about 8.9% non citizens of voting age in US

Based on that, the non citizens are not causing the low numbers in Utah.

Utah had 932,000 registered voters out of the 1,641,000 voting age citizens
It had 603,000 voting age citizens that actually voted.

603,000 / 932,000 = 65% of registered voters, voted in 2006.

Where we need to start is the 709,000 of voter age citizens that aren't even registered to vote. That is about 43% of the voter age citizens.

No Brainer | 8:04 p.m. July 5, 2008

I can't believe so much has to be written about this. It's a no-brainer, and this is one of the least surprising articles I've ever read. When everyone knows most races will be won in a landslide and their vote won't make any difference, it makes it a whole lot harder to get motivated to vote. I don't think Utah citizens are any less patriotic or lazier than anyone else. They just know the outcome already.

Political Intern | 8:09 p.m. July 5, 2008

I was a Political Intern in your state. The LDS Church and Republican Party runs your state! Your on the outside looking in. From the inside it was ingrained.

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