Short of coming to your home, handing you the pencil, taking the ballot out of the envelope, unfolding the ballot, pointing to the ovals, watching you fill in one oval, putting the ballot in an envelope, asking you to sign the envelope, sealing the envelope, putting on a stamp, and walking you to the mailbox – WHAT WILL IT TAKE TO GET YOU TO VOTE? Over the last 16 years, we have averaged a 41.75% turnout rate with one bump in the 2011 election.
- 2007 – 148,014 ballots mailed/issued, 61,803 scanned or 41.75%
- 2009 – 196,605 ballots mailed/issued, 70,967 scanned or 38.63%
- 2011 – 151,203 ballots mailed/issued, 91,190 scanned or 62.26%
- 2011 – 154,778 ballots mailed/issued, 99,982 scanned or 66.94% – Mayoral Runoff
- 2013 – 207,155 ballots mailed/issued, 82,558 scanned or 41.67%
- 2015 – 227,240 ballots mailed/issued, 90,475 scanned or 39.81%
- 2015 – 228,049 ballots mailed/issued, 98,504 scanned or 43.19% – Mayoral Runoff
- 2017 – 261,251 ballots mailed/issued, 84,496 scanned or 33.61%
- 2019 – 267,724 ballots mailed/issued, 99,028 scanned or 38.17%
- 2021 – 310,942 ballots mailed/issued, 84,059 scanned or 27.03%
- 2023 – 311,915 ballots mailed/issued, 110,244 scanned or 35.34%
- 2023 – 313,697 ballots mailed/issued, 101,709 scanned or 32.42% as of 5/15 – Mayor Runoff
Is it because we vote in April? Get over it. If elections are held in November, state and national issues would drown out local issues and candidates would pay more for ads/marketing materials. Do we need to spend more than a million dollars on a Mayoral race? By having the elections in April, the citizens can focus on local issues/candidates. Makes sense – every two years in March and April, we get bombarded with ads, mailers, and yard signs. Are you saying you missed all the yard signs and didn’t know we were having an election?
To put this in perspective. When the laws are enacted at the national level, it usually takes 5-10 years to feel the result. When the governor does something in the capital, it takes approximately 2-5 years to feel it. When the Colorado Springs Mayor or City Council passes an ordinance or policy, it could hit you this weekend. Remember parking fees on Sundays – how long did it take you to pay for parking on Sundays?
Nanette L. Avery said, “Talk is cheap, voting is free; take it to the polls.” You have an opportunity to influence the outcome of an election and get engaged in your community. What are you waiting for? Get out there and VOTE!
