Turnout, turnout, turnout.

[pinto]

After voter registration, it's always been the obvious key to winning elections.

CA House District 50 (Busby v Bilbray) came close to handing Dems a House seat in an overwhelmingly Repub District. It was doable. But turnout was somewhere around 30% of all registered voters.

That same turnout was recorded statewide in CA.

While voter participation in primaries is notoriously low, the CA 50 race was an election - Bilbray will hold the seat until the November general election - and the Democratic primary race for Governor determined our electoral answer to Arnold, the action at the polls was disappointing.

One of the dangers of low voter participation, especially here in CA, is that elections get determined by single issue voters - even when they represent a minority of the electorate. That's not a good recipe for representative government, imo.

I am unabashedly an advocate for the role of government in the "social contract". And I am also unabashedly an advocate for our responsibility to that contract.

Is voter apathy the end of the world? Probably not.

But, does it matter? I say yes.

We need to vote. And encourage others to vote. A constitutional democracy depends on it.

[brentspeak]

1. Well said

[Skip Intro]

2. If increased turnout would have put Busby over the top, I look forward to

November.

[pinto]

12. Yeah, it will be an interesting rematch, if she chooses to run.

[The_Casual_Observer]

3. Stupidity breeds apathy.

[AussieDave]

4. I agree a brazillion percent

Here in Australia voting is compulsory - you get fined chickenshit if you don't, but that's not the point. I find it astounding that many people living in democracies don't exercise one of the greatest gifts that democracy has - the right to vote.

Sure the candidates might be Tweedledum and Tweedledumber, but at least the opportunity is there. If one is "too busy", "getting my hair done", "going fishing", "couldn't be bothered" - then that person has no right to complain about ANYTHING. Just shut the fuck up and crawl back in your hole.

If Democrats are serious about changing things then the effort has to be made - the message counts but the turnout matters even more.

[pinto]

14. Didn't know that. I can never understand why someone would register

and not vote. I mean it's not that hard... You can vote absentee - lots do - and it's by mail, paper ballot. You can take the time to go to the polling station and vote "none" if that's your preference...

[Booster]

16. Half are, as you say, too busy; the other half of non-voters say

I don't vote so you can't blame anything on me - which is a chickenshit attitude if you ask me.

[OrangeCountyDemocrat]

5. 2 Bright Spots In CA

I agree that Busby losing Sucks. However, Phil will be fine to go up against a-hole, and was the better choice.

Also, Debra Bowen won the primary for SOS, and she is a Staunch supporter of looking into election machine FRAUD.

[pinto]

13. Good points. I really like the State Democratic slate.

[applegrove]

6. Thanks for posting. Very informative.

[KharmaTrain]

7. More And More People Are Turned Off By The Negative Rhetoric

The Repugnicans know they're not a majority party across the country, but pick their spots well and market to their base...then follow up by keeping them energized and then make sure they get to the polls. They've been doing this for every election since '94 and they have gotten better and better at knowing not only how to crank up their base, but to turn off those who aren't.

In a recent canvass, we found a lot of people who agree with a majority of the issues Democrats want to run on...the economy, the Iraq quagmire, high oil price, corruption...but they're turned off by both the stridency of the "debates" they see on TV and hear on the radio and always ask "what's the Democrat's solution"...all they hear is the corporate media's meme of "they don't have any".

Busbee spent so much time going after the "moderate Repugnicans and Independents" and didn't bother to make sure the existing Democratic voters in that district got to the polls. While Billbray make sure the church busses were rolling and those who couldn't get out to vote either got an absentee or a ride to vote (things Democrats used to do).

Time is starting to get tight if Democrats are to make some solid gains that can retake the House...a simple one or two seat majority won't be enough...there has to be a pick-up that gives the party a 10 or more seat cushion...and from all the "pundits" I read today they aren't predicting any real pick-up in the Senate. The peril of losing in November can't be overstated...it will embolden the right wing even further as it will be seen as not just "biting the bullet", but another "mandate"...with all the "divisions" we're hearing about right now vanishing until the next election campaign.

The meme I kept hearing about Billbray today was how he "beat boooosh"...but that asshat's name wasn't on the ballot and Rove would rather have the Repugnicans fight within their tent on the local level and dominate whomever wins as opposed to seeing a swing to the Democrats. Again, if Democrats expect to win by default, they'll lose. It's time now to get a real 50 state strategy in place...get the Democratic voters registered and then keep working hard to be sure they're there this November...they sure won't walk in off the streets on their own.

[Raine]

11. I know I am

I was so disgusted by the way the Democrats slung mud at each other that for the first time in a Primary or General Election I didn't vote yesterday. :-( I'm in the Los Angeles area and there was nothing of real importance on my ballot. The way that Angelides, Westley and some of the others went after each other I just didn't care which of them won. :-(

[KharmaTrain]

15. This Will Be A Major Problem For Progressives in '08

Thanks to the front-loading of the primaries, there's another good chance that the Presidental race either will be determined or distract from the local races...and keeping folks like you at home as you won't find any important races to vote for or even feel you have a say in the national picture. The California governor's race is starting to turn into a free pass for Ahnuld...he's been able to "remake" himself to the point where we don't see the passions against him that we did last year and this could really hurt Democratic chances in that state this fall.

I'll be curious to watch how much "help" Busbee gets now that this election is over and if any of the organization or money that was pumped into last night's race sticks around through November. It didn't in the Ohio district where Hackett ran in '05 and it looks like Jean Schmidt will be getting a free pass...while am still hearing sniping from the Hackett vs. Brown factions...that could supress turn-out this fall and allow DeWine to sneak back in.

I'm tired of people blaming bad voting machines and the "evil" media...it's a more systemic problem right now of giving voters something to vote FOR rather than against and developing and maintaining contact with the local base and to make sure they're not only going to vote this November...but to actually get them there.

Cheers...

[im10ashus]

8. Yes we do.

And sadly, a large portion of our population do NOT vote. The only way to effect change is through the electoral process. If a democrat in that very republican district can get that percentage, it's a good sign, IMHO.

For the times, they are a-changin!

[dempsterholland]

9. Increasing voter turnout

Increasing voter turnout can be at least partially achieved by focusing on economic issues that have direct appeal to Democratic voters, such as increased minimum wages, universal health care coverage and a more progressive tax system.

[AX10]

10. Turn out is the key!