There’s all this stuff on TV now about how the media overhyped voter turnout and actual turnout ended up being comparable to the 2004 Election.
I think one thing pundits are missing – it’s not about overall turnout, its about turnout of YOUR supporters. And clearly Obama did a better job of that. Theoretically you could have 50% turnout in both 2004 and 2008 without a single person voting in both elections.
So what? Basically, the media wasn’t totally wrong in saying turnout would be high this cycle. Turnout was probably measurably higher among key traditional and new Democratic demos (eg 18-24, Prius drivers, most minorities) but overall turnout was depressed because the other side lost its enthusiasm to showup.
A non-vote is just as powerful as a vote. Because you can’t win unless you get your supporters to the polls. So its not necessarily a sign that our country has the same level of political apathy, but merely that theres been some redistribution.
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