Our Views: Inspiring voter turnout

The re-election of incumbent Venezuelan President Hugo Chavez was disappointing, given Chavez’s aggressive stance against U.S. interests during his time in office. Even so, the election carried at least one silver lining. After Chavez’s government closed its consulate in Miami as part of a diplomatic dispute, thousands of Venezuelan expatriates living in the Miami area had no easy way to cast absentee ballots for their country’s presidential election.

Undeterred, an estimated 7,000 Venezuelans drove from Miami to the nearest open consulate in New Orleans to vote for their country’s next leader. Most of the expatriates making the road trip seemed to support Chavez’s challenger in the race, Henrique Capriles.

We were deeply impressed that so many Venezuelans would be willing to drive so far to cast a ballot in a presidential race.

That made us wonder how many U.S. citizens would be willing to do the same thing to carry out their civic duty.

Sadly, too many of us fail to vote even when there’s a polling station right down the street. That’s a sad commentary on civic engagement in this country. We hope the example of the Venezuelan voter caravan between Florida and Louisiana inspires more U.S. citizens to take their voting rights seriously.

Comments

1) Comment by Attila - 19/10/2012

I agree with the posters who believe that too many people who have no clue as to the issues or candidates already vote. Francis Tytler's 1850's as serration that a democracy could exist only until the voters realized that they could vote themselves largesse from the public treasury. After that they will always vote for the candidate who promises the m the most benefits leading,in time, to anarchy. Sounds eriley like what is happening today. Which leads me to advocate repeal of the 26th amendment except for those serving in the military. Giving 18 year olds the vote was purely a liberal tactic to secure the vote of young people who have not had enough life experience to know their butts from first base.

2) Comment by Chucky - 19/10/2012

Venezuelan President Hugo Chavez thinks President Obama “is a good guy” and “would vote for him”if he could. Venezuela is also the United State's fourth largest crude supplier. So, although Chavez dislikes the USA and what we stand for, he does think Obama can change our country for the better. This is another good reason to get out and vote, and not for Obama like i did last time.

3) Comment by [e-mail] - 19/10/2012

Voters come in all flavors, styles, and they lean towards whatever touches them; we all know that if ten people listen to a speaker that there will be ten versions of what the speaker said, and none of them will necessarily be a faithful recitation but will instead be colored by each individual opinion. Urging people to vote is a good thing; what we should be careful of is who is eligible to vote for what. Is it fair for one group to vote taxes and penalties on another just because they can and not have to suffer for it themselves? That's what's happened in Venezuela, and it won't stop there until there's nothing else that can be taken and the whole thing crashes down. That's what always happens because socialism just doens't work for long.

4) Comment by Being_Stupid - 18/10/2012

Americans (at least Democrats) do not understand the dangers of socialism yet. Once you have a taste of socialism or grow up in a communist country, you understand how great and rare this country is. Unfortunately the Democrat Socialist Party and Obama Voters are killing this country.

5) Comment by tradewinns - 18/10/2012

regardless of your choice of candidates or amendments, unless you have a grasp of the positions or consequences please do not vote. there are too many "lemmings" in our political process who vote as they are told and do not understand what they are voting for or against.

6) Comment by Bighug - 18/10/2012

Please don't campaign for people to vote. I would rather hear you advise people to stay home and not waste their time voting. We don't really need the votes of people who care so little about it that they require urging to go to the polls.