Something to think about: Networks Accused of Prejudicing Elections "Curtis Gans, director of the Committee for the Study of the American Electorate (CSAE), said many studies over the past 20 years have shown that turnout in the West has declined by as much as 7 percent when the networks call an election before 9 p.m. In this election, he said, 7 percent in the last two hours of voting would have been enough to alter the outcome in Oregon, which Gore won by only about 5,000 votes." ------------------ People like to slam Bush's education record, but at least Texans know how to punch holes.
Whatever. Oregon is all mail-in votes. I also don't understand the reasoning. Why would Gore voters go out and vote if they knew that Gore was going to win? Those two things added to the fact that the election was never called in Gore's favor make this a useless thread. ------------------ "He was under more balls than a midget hooker."-Bobby Hill visit www.swirve.com [This message has been edited by Rocketman95 (edited November 16, 2000).]
An interesting theory. I don't know how true it really is, but there may well be people who don't end up going out to the polls when they see the election is going one way or another. And I can certainly see where the people in the Western Panhandle of Florida would turn around and go home. If the state is already gone to one candidate, their votes no longer matter. No one expected that call to be reversed or that the election would end up being so close in the end. When a state is called that quickly for a candidate, you expect that the lead was enormous. On the other hand, shouldn't these voters continue to the polls anyway and vote? I mean, the President isn't the only name on the ballot. All those people who left in Florida because the Presidential race had been called missed their chance to vote in all the other races in the state. Same for the people out West. Voters further out west should still go to the polls to vote for their Senators and Representatives and state officials and whatever else is on the ballot. If they're that easily discouraged from voting (and they've already put it off until the last minute anyway), perhaps it's just as well that they don't end up voting. ------------------ Houston Sports Board The Anti-Bud Adams Page
I knew Gore had no chance of winning Texas. That didn't stop me from getting off my butt to go vote for him. Anyone who lets TV dictate their lives that much doesn't get my sympathy.
outlaw, Agreed. But, you know, there is this new pizza cooker I saw on TV that I now do not see how I could have lived my life without having such a wonderful piece of plastic. I think it is only 5 easy payments of $55.55 and it comes with a free pocket keychain cheese grater! Freak, It must be hard fighting the evil forces of Al Gore 24 hours a day. Good thing you are not a republican so no one will think you are biased. ------------------ EZLN
mrpaige -- If the vast majority of people actually cared about other elections besides the presidential one, wouldn't 100 million people show up to vote on off years as well? ------------------ People like to slam Bush's education record, but at least Texans know how to punch holes.
We should have every eligible voter show up at the polls and vote. If these folks are so easily turned off from voting, then it's their own fault. I think the networks should be more careful about announcing results, but I'm not going to blame them for how people react to these things. It's my duty to go vote regardless of what the networks say. And if I don't vote, it's no one's fault but my own regardless of what my excuses are. Whatever happened to personal responsibility? ------------------ Houston Sports Board The Anti-Bud Adams Page
As close as this elcetion is, only 1/2 of eligible voters voted. Canada had 67% turn out. ------------------ "There are two players carrying the Rockets right now. Hakeem and Olajuwon." Isiah Thomas
