Voter turnout or voter turn-off?

In most modern American elections, shortly after a winner is declared the victorious candidate will address the public saying something like this: “Thank you for your support and confidence in me. I am humbled and honored that you have chosen to give me your vote.”

The winner’s expression of gratitude usually applies to only a small segment of citizens.

The final vote totals for Nevada’s June 9 election are not yet official but it appears that only about one third of Nye County registered voters exercised their right — some would say duty — to make their voice heard by casting a ballot. Whenever — if ever — the vote total becomes final, it is clear that a very small slice of the populace made the decision on who our elected rulers/representatives will be.

This begs the question: Why is voter turnout so low?

Conventional wisdom will point to the fact that this was an “off year” election and only a primary. The implication being that citizens don’t care who will be their local leaders, judges, state officials, congressional representatives and even governor. Another theory might be that primaries are too political and limit voting by political party. The inescapable conclusion of this is that voters are indifferent to who their party puts forward.

As is often the case, conventional wisdom doesn’t necessarily provide good answers.

Around the time of the First Continental Congress, John Adams wrote in his masterpiece, Thoughts on Government: “How few of the human race have ever had an opportunity of choosing a system of government for themselves and their children? How few have ever had anything more of choice in government than in climate?”

Our second president went on to gush, “It has been the will of Heaven, that we should be thrown into existence at a period when the greatest philosophers and lawgivers of antiquity would have wished to have live…”

The great American Patriot and the other founding fathers viewed the idea of democracy — the people’s right to choose who serves as their representatives — as a precious power, an opportunity nearly unique in the history of mankind. Even a blessed gift from God.

True, things were different in Adams’ day. He called his Revolutionary cohorts “great men” possessing “abilities, learning, eloquence, acuteness equal to any.” Not all current candidates come close to Adams’ description. In Maine, a guy with an SS Nazi tattoo won the Democrat primary for the U.S. Senate. Perhaps some don’t vote because they aren’t impressed with the choices the political system puts forth.

Maybe we think it just doesn’t matter. That the politicians are all the same. That the bloated bureaucratic government wheels spin themselves, no matter who is elected.

Or maybe we feel we are entitled to liberty, freedom and the pursuit of happiness without contributing even our voice to how it happens — after all, this is America.

History tells us that the vast Roman Empire was unequaled in power, influence, prosperity, and creature comforts and that gradually Roman citizens became more and more complacent, distracted and self-centered.

Romans felt entitled and the Roman Empire fell to barbarians after hundreds of years of prominence.

Perhaps it’s just a matter of an uninformed/uneducated electorate. Maybe it’s a good thing that some who didn’t vote, didn’t vote.

Whatever the rreasons for forsaking the right to vote — for leaving the decision to those of us who do vote — I would just like to say: “Thank you for your support and confidence in me. I am humbled and honored that you have chosen to give me your vote.”

Philip S. Bovee is an attorney and writer who has lived in Pahrump since 2023.