Blair County Tea Party

The Antidote to Voter Apathy & Improved Election Outcomes:

The Political Committee Person

By Lois Kaneshiki

          As expected, the voted turnout was abysmally low in the May Primary.  We would all hope that Republican and Democratic voters would care who their next U. S. Senator and Governor would be, but most seemed content to let the party regulars decide for them.

          What kind of outcome do we get from this kind of voter behavior and what can we do about it, if anything?

          The “party regular” is the voter who will come out and vote “no matter what.”  They believe it is their civic duty to vote and they take pride in their flawless voting record.  We know they vote incumbents back in office the majority of the time, even though most people seem to be dissatisfied with the performance of this same government.

Why Don’t People Vote?

          We currently have a small minority of eligible voters electing candidates to office.  The vast majority of citizens don’t feel it is worth the effort to educate themselves about the candidates, don’t have the time, or have some other “it just doesn’t matter” type attitude.

          If you ask them why they don’t vote you will get various answers such as, “they are all the same,”  “they are all corrupt,”  “nothing will ever change,” etc.  It is a very fatalistic and pessimistic attitude.  They feel these are people who are far away, out of touch, and somehow all fall into the same unfavorable category of “politician.”

          Before we look at how to address this phenomenon, we have to examine its roots and see what might be the plausible approach to changing these voter attitudes.

Addressing the Problem

          First of all, can we blame the candidates themselves?

          Are they really all the same?  Are they really all that bad?

          Most of us involved in politics do not believe this for one minute.  Otherwise we would not invest the time we do to try to influence the outcome of elections.

          Let’s assume for the moment that the non-voters are wrong; there are options and not all candidates are alike.

          How do we convince them of that?  Through political advertising?  Obviously not.   Milllions of dollars are spent every election cycle and we still get abysmal turnout numbers.

The Alternative:  Grassroots Politics

          What is the alternative?   The alternative is the exact opposite of what the political “experts” and consultants want us to believe.  It is not more money.  It is more organization.  It is old-fashioned grassroots politics.  This is the function of political campaigns, but even more importantly, the county committees.

The Crux of Voter Apathy:  Lack of Relationship

          Voters are apathetic because of the failure of the political parties to develop local and lasting relationships with their voters that transcend specific elections.  Of course the voters do not trust politicians, because they know politicians will basically say what is necessary to get elected.  So who can they trust?

          That is where the county committeeman or woman comes in.  The purpose of the county committeeman is to establish the link with the local voter with the Party.  They are the local contact, the liaison, between the party and the voters in the precinct.  They are the “go-to” people in between and at election time.  They know where to get the information and will help voters stay informed about candidates and elections.  They have an incentive to be honest and trustworthy with their local constituents, because they are not running for local office – they represent the party now and tomorrow.  If they do not do a good job, the voters will elect someone else the next election cycle to re-elect them.

          Unfortunately, the parties have gotten so far away from the grassroots representation that local voters not only do not expect their local committeeman to perform this function, but most of the voters do not even know they exist.  We have a lot of rebuilding to do.

Politics is all about Relationships

          If you doubt what I say, think about the “talented” politicians you have known in the past.  They are people the voters feel they can “relate” to in some way or another.  They are people they know personally (if it is a local office.)  The voters have the impression they can be trusted.  They are not stiff and academic.  They come across as real  people who are likeable and seem like they care about us.  This either is or simulates what a person would be if you were to establish some kind of relationship.

Establishing Relationships Will Increase Voter “Connectedness”

          If voters feel disconnected from the political process, the committee people can change that impression through making regular contact of some kind and letting voters know they are there for them if they need information, etc.   This can be done in person, over the phone, through email, or the Internet.  This can also be done more regularly and more locally by recruiting “block captains” within the precincts who will be responsible for a smaller section of the precinct.

Local Outreach Benefits the Party & Its Candidates

          By reaching out at the local precinct level, the committee people help improve the image of the party.   They are letting the voters know they are important.    

          The committee people are experts in their precincts.  They are better resources to candidates and the party than any professional polling, because they are speaking directly to the people and know what they think.  Voters are honest with them because they have established their credibility and they are not running for public office.  Just as it says in our state committee handbook, they are the “most important link in the organization of the Republican Party.”

Local Outreach Improves the Process

          When the voters feel more connected to the process they will participate more.  People who haven’t voted may feel motivated to vote.  People who only vote will be more motivated to volunteer a few hours of their time.  Everyone will feel more hopeful about the process because their neighbor cares enough to stop by and give them some information.

Local Outreach Increases Awareness

          When voters are visited by party representatives, they will have an opportunity to ask questions.  They will know who they can call if they think of questions later.  An informed voter will give us a better result on Election Day!

Recruiting Better Candidates & Getting Them Elected

          Ultimately, more participation in the process from everyone will attract a higher caliber candidate and help us get these candidates elected through awareness.

Ending at the Beginning

          I hope you see how important the committee people are.  When we have brought the process back to the grassroots, we will realize how important it is to have good committee people who are able to organize the precinct.  I hope that this will attract the kind of committee people who understand how important their work is, take it seriously, and utilize their important position within the party.