THE WHITE HOUSE

Washington

August 2, 2013

M-01-01

MEMORANDOM FOR THE DOMESTIC POLICY COUNCIL SOCIAL INNOVATION AND CIVIC
PARTICIPATION POLICY TEAM

FROM: Tarah Taylor
White House Intern Applicant


SUBJECT: Electoral Civic Engagement

Voter turnout has been fluctuating over the past several decades. Community organizers and
campaign staff seek to solve this problem at the onset of each electoral cycle. The usual methods include
reminding voters of the upcoming election, informing them of the issues, making sure voting is accessible
to all and expanding the electorate by registering hundreds of new voters. Despite these Get Out The Vote
(GOTV) tactics, we still havent been able to get consistent numbers in the following years.

Unpopular elections like municipal and other off-year elections see poor voter participation
despite the number of registered voters. We see this in the contrast of the 2008 and 2010 elections. Voter
corralling is a continuous effort that must be repeated by campaigns each election cycle because voter
turnout is not yet self sufficient.

Some Reasons Why Voters Dont Participate
Low Voter Education
o A good portion of voters do not understand basic government roles and principles.
Because of this, voters have unrealistic expectations of what their government is able to
do and or think voting is unimportant resulting in voter apathy and disengagement. Voter
education, to campaign staff and organizers, is a great idea; however too time consuming,
leaving out a critical part in getting citizens to regularly vote.
Lack of Engagement
o Voters that move often or who are away at college arent often engaged by campaigns
because it is difficult to track their voting behavior. Voters who rarely move are
contacted year after year and become accustomed to election cycles and constantly
receive information about candidates and incumbents. Without this constant flow of
information, voters will be less aware of unpopular elections and who is running in them.
Intimidated By the Election Process
o Voters who dont understand election processes often end up disheartened by the
experience. There are rules, deadlines, and qualifications that, if not known ahead of
Election Day, can cause confusion. These instances can result in the assumption that the
voting process is too complex and may choose not to take part at all.

Voting is every Americans civil duty. The right to vote has been fought for and some have even
given their lives for the opportunity but the public has lost the sense of dignity and honor they once had
from making an informed vote. This nation must come together and rebuild the very foundation of our
democracy and restore our pride for this powerful right that we have been given.