How can newspapers fight voter apathy?

Posted by Dana Goldstein on June 24, 2004 at 11:55 AM

From Seattle Weekly: If journalism is a crucial part of a functioning democracy, then it makes sense that newspapers would encourage their readers to vote. But many of these efforts, particularly campaigns to increase decrease absenteeism among the young, come off seeming like "nanny journalism" writes Seattle Weekly columnist Knute Berger. "It’s not the job of the media to try to improve voter turnout," Berger argues. "Our job is to inform, not implement. In this country, you’re free to vote or to not vote. And Americans want it that way. An ABC News poll in June asked voters if they liked the idea of a small fine being imposed on people who don’t vote, like they do in some countries. The results: 72 percent said such a law would —what’s the technical term?—suck. That’s right. Our right not to vote is sacred, too." It's interesting to read this in light of the high absenteeism during the recent European Parliament elections here on the continent...

I noticed French newspapers such as Lib?ration, Le Figaro and Le Monde gave extensive coverage to the elections, with special inserts, charts, graphs and interviews with candidates both before and after election day. But they also noted the high incidence of voter apathy toward the entire process, which was the subject of this New York Times article comparing the collective shrug generated by the EP elections to the frenzy surrounding the Euro 2004 soccer tournament. The Times article excerpts this quote from a Lib?ration editorial: "It would be a sad paradox that at the moment when Europe of soccer is witnessing its maximum mobilization, Europe of politics is distinguished by minimum participation."

Maybe the media itself is partly responsible for absenteeism because of the way many mainstream journalists cover elections as conversations between the powerful, without deeply investigating policy proposals or leaving campaign events to talk to the majority of the public that doesn't closely follow politics or attend rallies.

Does your newspaper do anything to fight voter absenteeism? If so, how do you avoid the "nanny" tone of talking down to your readers, pushing them to fulfill their "responsibilities?"

Source: Seattle Weekly and this The New York Times

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