Social Issues & Communications

The People as King

Who cares about voting? Not U.S. citizens: only sixty-six out of a hundred voted in the last election.

Nov 4, 2024

The United States is a re-public, which literarily means "the people are the king". In what kind of kingdom does one-third of the king not even show up? Tuesday, November 5th, is the U.S. General Election. Will you be voting?

In what kind of kingdom does one-third of the king never even show up?

— Simeon Morrow

A commentary by SIMEON MORROW

WASHINGTON, D.C.: Who cares about voting? Not U.S. citizens: only sixty-six out of a hundred voted in the last election.

In primary school terms, 66% equals a "D" or "lowest acceptable" grade. "Well that was during the Pandemic, so it's understandable", you're probably thinking. 66/100 turns out to be the highest voter turnout since 1900 (Pew Research); turnout was higher four years ago than it was during World War I., World War II., the Vietnam War and post-9/11.

The United States is a re-public, which literarily means "the people are the king". In what kind of kingdom does one-third of the king not even show up? Or worse: what does the two-thirds of the king who shows up decide at the expense of the missing third?

EXECUTIVE SUMMARY