Beyond the Byline: ‘The Vanishing Voters’ must reappear

Several years ago, I had the opportunity to witness a presentation by the late Shawn Murphy called “The Vanishing Voter.”

Murphy, who once worked for the late state Sen. Charlie Lemmond, offered this informative, compelling, and eye-opening presentation that was a truly effective exercise that showed participants how very few people actually decide elections.

Far fewer than the number of registered voters — way fewer than those eligible to register and vote.

It seems with each passing election, fewer and fewer people vote in primary and general elections. Voter turnout year after year is not what it could — and should — be. The only time we see an uptick in voters going to the polls is during presidential elections.

It’s a national trend. Here in Luzerne County, people still don’t vote in high numbers, and many fail to even register.

So what can be done to stimulate people to exercise their right to vote? At this point, there doesn’t seem to be a clear answer.

Even more concerning is that it seems that fewer and fewer people even care about the political process — especially young people. They appear to be far more interested in the latest technology in cell phones or the newest video games than in who becomes their next school board member, mayor, or congressman.

The most active voters we have are veterans, which makes perfect sense — because who, after all, has more of an appreciation of this country and its freedoms than the men and women who fought to preserve them?

But are we seeing a rapid erosion of all things American?

Are fewer people respectful of what our military has done and the sacrifices they have made to keep us free?

Do they understand that preserving our right to vote and elect the people we feel are the most qualified is essential to our survival as a free country?

“The Vanishing Voter”

Several years ago, Murphy gave her presentation to students at Luzerne County Community College, who had their eyes opened wide on how political candidates are elected and by whom.

The object of the exercise was to identify in a visual way how many voters actually vote and to show what percentage of people register to vote and actually cast a ballot. What is usually left is a pathetically small group of people sitting in the front representing actual voters.

Murphy had done the exercise in schools, for civic organizations, and at corporations, and the result amazed people in every venue. The LCCC students found the demonstration revealing.

Murphy started with a “room full of voters” — handing out envelopes of varying colors. Each envelope contained a message.

• Yellow envelopes represented people who are eligible to register (18 and older), but who choose not to for a variety of reasons.

• Green envelopes represented registered Republican voters who choose not to vote.

• Blue envelopes were registered Democrats who choose not to vote.

• White envelopes were for registered Democrats who do vote.

• And red envelopes were registered Republicans who vote.

The excuses given for not voting, regardless of party affiliation, ranged from the sublime to the ridiculous. They included not knowing where to go to register; the rain would ruin their hair; their spouse is out of town and forgot to tell them who to vote for; it’s only a primary; and they have overdue library books.

Using actual voter registration numbers for Luzerne County at the time, Murphy demonstrated just how few people exercised their right to vote.

When the exercise was over, a vast majority of students were sitting in the back of the room and a small number actually cast votes. The message was that every vote counts — but only if they are cast.

Pa. primary is Tuesday

This low voter turn-out trend is not just in Wilkes-Barre or Luzerne County. We can’t survive as a community, a county, a country without preserving our democratic system. We have to get more involved. We have to allow for dissent and we have to understand that we are not always right — that this country was built on discussion and debate.

Good people need to step up. We need them to run for office. We need them to become activists. We need them to become leaders. Not for political reasons, but for the good of all. We need statesmen and stateswomen. We need to create an atmosphere where the best of the best are not afraid to be heard — where they are not scared off by the insensitive attacks of disrespectful, uniformed, stubborn people.

I mean how much are we expected to take? How do all those political attack ads help voters decide who to vote for? All they seem to be are constant venomous attacks on the other candidates.

How about candidates try a novel approach — tell us why we should vote for you, not why we shouldn’t vote for your opponents?

It’s not like we don’t have a lot of issues to address these days. What will you do to lower gas prices, or create new high-paying jobs, or protect our rights, strengthen our military, improve the education system, cut taxes — especially on the elderly — keep us safe, stop inflation, help our farmers, strengthen law enforcement and on and on and on.

These are difficult times, for sure.

Voters need help in deciding who is worthy of their vote.

And to accomplish anything, voters must vote.