Editorial: Dismal display of voter apathy

Wednesday, July 1, 1998 | 10:25 a.m.

CONSIDERING that Independence Day will be celebrated this weekend, Americans should be embarrassed by voting statistics released this week that show too many of us take for granted this important civic responsibility.

The sobering fact is that less than 17 percent of those old enough to vote went to the polls in 16 statewide primaries that have been held so far this year, according to the Committee for the Study of the American Electorate. Ten states had their lowest turnouts ever, even in light of their and Congress' efforts to make it easier to register to vote.

"What we are witnessing this year is a continuation of the disaffection, disinterest and disengagement from politics," Curtis Gans, the committee's director, told the New York Times. It's frightening that so few Americans no longer care enough to vote, one of our basic rights. Men died to gain our independence from England, and others lost their lives in subsequent wars to protect basic freedoms, including the right to vote.

Many Americans believe there is too much negative campaigning and that money plays too large a role in elections. Admittedly, the political system needs reform, but it's a cop-out to lay all the blame for low voter turnout on these ills.

The reality is that too many Americans have grown apathetic about public affairs at the local, state and national levels. On Independence Day, more people of voting age may end up going to department stores for a holiday sale, watch a sporting event on television or catch a fireworks display than will bother to vote in this year's primaries.

Nevada's primary elections will be held in September and the general election will be in November. Let's hope our state can do better than the miserable showing in other states so far.