It’s no surprise turnout is lower in off years

By Katie Farnan, published in the Daily Camera:

I support measures that increase voter turnout because civic participation is what our democracy is all about.

This year, Boulder voters can make it happen by voting yes on measure 2E. Currently, Boulder City Council members are chosen in off-year elections, when significantly fewer people turn in ballots compared to even years. It’s no surprise that turnout is lower in off years because almost all candidate elections happen in even years when important media coverage and large get-out-the-vote campaigns assist and encourage folks to be voters. Off-year elections simply don’t have this breadth of coverage or awareness, which directly impacts voter turnout.

Recent opinion pieces have suggested that we only need to commit more time, effort and money to local outreach to get more people voting. While such policies would help at the margins, the single most important change that local governments can make to increase turnout is by combining local elections with state and federal elections.

This is why I support ballot measure 2E, which will move Boulder’s local elections to even years when there are nearly twice as many voters. The change will benefit our city and its democratic foundations by including as many people as possible in electing our officials. When more people vote, the choices they make are more reflective of the community, and that’s what democracy is all about.