NEW YORK, NEW YORK - I hopped off the campaign trail last week. I thought I needed "some space," but I soon found myself yearning for the ebb-and-flow of election energy. Drama among the Democrats, rifts in the Republican base, increasing turnout, and polling percentages... for a political junkie it is all too addicting. Today's candidate contests are being held in Wisconsin, Hawaii (for the Dems), and Washington (again). The forecast is calling for heightened turnout levels in all three States, even though Hawaii's Democratic caucus turnout has never exceeded 5000 voters, and Washington's Primary does not count for any delegates.
Wisconsin is among the most politically active States in the Union. They have extremely progressive election law and a pragmatic approach to solving election administration mishaps. Turnout in the 2004 and 2000 Primaries was 24.6% and 22.7% respectively, and with 92 delegates in total this year's turnout will easily eclipse those rates. Here's why: The State's Government Accountability Board offers an array of options to would-be-Wisconsinite-voters. No-excuse absentee voting allows people vote absentee without having to specify a reason. Early in-person voting allowed people to since January 29th, and Election Day registration allows new and non-partisan voters to register and vote at polling precincts.
These laws help to enfranchise youth and under-65 voters into the polls, and yet Wisconsin is not without voting problems. WUWM-Public Radio reports that state inspectors will be checking accessibility for disabled and elderly voters. This constituency routinely votes at rates 15 percentage points lower than other demographics. There are over 600,000 eligible voters older than 65, and AARP Wisconsin has over 826,000 members. That makes up almost 15% of the entire electorate. Senators Herb Kohl and Russ Feingold have records of high-standard when it comes to how their constituents vote and campaign finance. Senator Kohl is Chairman of the Senate Special Committee on Aging, and in a January press release proclaimed, "If we do not remove the barriers that prevent elderly and disabled citizens from exercising their right to vote, then we are - for all intents and purposes - disenfranchising them."