How can voter turnout be increased?

Only 22% of registered voters participated in Tuesday’s primary election in Delaware. Why do you think turnout was so low? What does that say about citizens’ understanding and appreciation for how democracy works? What can be done to boost the number of residents who cast ballots?

Answers of the Week

• Instead of party primaries, there should be one primary ballot, open to all candidates and to all registered voters, regardless of party affiliation. Everybody runs, everybody votes, and the top two vote-getters advance to the general election. — Joe Smyth
• There’s no longer any trust! — Sherri Larimore
• Democracy doesn’t work. How long have Democrats been in control? What it is going to take to really secure the vote is voter ID. Make the voter’s vote count. The same old, same old in Delaware isn’t cutting it. — Stephen Quigley Sr.
• Democracy does work, but more need to participate. — Joan Glover-Wire
• Have you voted lately? I have to show an ID. And there’s a paper ballot. Delaware has extremely secure voting. — Dale Bert
• I think, first, you need to see where the majority of the 22% came from. Which county? Democrats or Republicans? City, suburban or rural? Next, utilize social media and TikTok. In the elementary/middle schools, promote taking your children to the polls. It gets the kids involved in the voting process (the kids will motivate their parents). It will also develop an awareness of civic duty in children. That’s my two cents! — Joan Glover-Wire
• We don’t have a democracy, for one; we have a republic. Nowhere in the Constitution is the word used. You just have to look at the incident in Wilmington, where the election place officials told Republicans they couldn’t vote, as it was voting for Democrats only. New Castle County pretty much ruins the rest of the state, with its higher population and big numbers of liberals. Much needs to change soon. Having to be registered with the two “big bucks” parties or not being allowed to vote doesn’t help. Independents and nonaffiliates such as myself have no voice nor candidates to consider. The Delaware primary is pretty much a scam. — Warren Avis
• How do you get more voter turnout? Well, I would say that the polls need to stay open later than what they normally do or move the date to a Saturday because it’s always on a Tuesday, meaning people have to work, and when you get off at 5 p.m., get home at 6, dinner at 6:30, finish eating at 7-7:30, you almost don’t have any time at all to get to the polls before they close at 8, or you have no desire to go to the polls so late after work. — Kyle Hendrix
• Two starting points I propose: How about we start by making the Delaware primary not happen way after the national conventions? Then, let’s permit open primaries, so the 25%-plus people who are registered as “nonaffiliated” can have a voice. — Jonathan Arena
• I’d like to restrict the time period for the federal election activity to start no sooner than 10 months prior to the federal election date. Good luck. — Christy Schafer

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