It seems the easier we make voting, the less likely people are to vote. June’s primary turnout in California was terrible, roughly 1/3 of the registered voters (and why isn’t everyone registered?) bothered to vote.

November 7th’s election is predicted to have a very small turnout and this with 13 ballot propositions, 7 statewide offices, all 53 congressional seats, 20 state senate seats and all 80-assembly seats up for grabs.

20 years ago, 9% of those who voted did so by absentee ballots. June’s primary was at 47% and it’s predicted that of those who vote in the November 7th election, more than half (including me) will do so by absentee. I don’t think it’s a coincidence that as we continue to try and making voting “easier” less and less people bother to do it.

As I have written before, I think the goal of more voters is slightly off target. The goal should be more educated voters. While my view that voting is a privilege, not a right and should be earned, not given has yet to gain critical mass, I anticipate that at some point there will be a backlash. As a professional marketer, I can tell you there is a direct correlation between cost / investment and value and the easier we make voting, the less it is valued by the masses.

Voting should be an honor, not an American Idol pop culture event.