Voter Enthusiasm Lower Than Usual In 2014 — Especially Among Democrats

U.S. President Barack Obama attends the opening session of the Nuclear Summit in The Hague, the Netherlands, on Monday, March 24, 2014. President Barack Obama gathered with world leaders in a day of delicate diplomac... U.S. President Barack Obama attends the opening session of the Nuclear Summit in The Hague, the Netherlands, on Monday, March 24, 2014. President Barack Obama gathered with world leaders in a day of delicate diplomacy, as he sought to rally the international community Monday around efforts to isolate Russia following its incursion into Ukraine. Nuclear terrorism was the official topic as Obama and other world leaders streamed in to a convention center in The Hague for a two-day nuclear summit. But the real focus was on a hurriedly scheduled meeting of the Group of Seven industrialized economies to address the crisis in Ukraine on the sidelines of the nuclear summit. (AP Photo/Sean Gallup, POOL) MORE LESS
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Americans are much less enthusiastic about voting in 2014 than they usually are in mid-term election years, and that’s especially true of Democrats, according to a Gallup poll released Monday.

This chart illustrates the drop:

The enthusiasm dip is particularly acute for Democrats, Gallup explains: “Among registered voters, 42% of Republicans and Republican-leaning independents currently say they are more enthusiastic than usual about voting, while 50% are less enthusiastic, resulting in an eight-point enthusiasm deficit. But Democrats are even less enthusiastic, with a 23-point deficit (32% more enthusiastic vs. 55% less enthusiastic).”

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Notable Replies

  1. It that’s true, then its Game Over.

    The planet’s Gone

  2. And gallup said Romney was in with a chance in 2012 - until the week before the election.

    The media - as usual is doing all it can to support the GOP. The only way they win is if democrats don’t vote

  3. Milt Shook at pleasecutthecrap.com talks about this, that we are NOT appealing to the electorate because we waste too much time attacking Democrats we don’t like.

    Republicans will ALWAYS show up to vote in EVERY election. We need to appeal to the electorate MORE to boost up turnout so that we win.

  4. Is there another poll which confirms the connection between lack of enthusiasm and lack of actual voting? I can think of many times in my life when I have cast votes unenthusiastically. I think all this poll actually shows is that people are bone-weary of the seemingly endless political sniping that has taken the place of governance. I certainly am. But it doesn’t mean I won’t vote.

  5. Avatar for jep07 jep07 says:

    If the futility of frustration that these rank and file Dems feel, mostly in response to the do-less-than-nothing-Congress and industrial strength media malfeasance, can be converted into indignation, or better yet, outright resentment and anger, then the whole game changes.

    So as for the Benghazi hearing and the indignant, angry results they will produce in those reticent Democrats, let me say “Republicans, proceed.”

    They certainly need this red meat liefest to keep their own base rabidly involved and planning to vote, but the trade-off will be the fires they light under the apathetic asses of so many of my fellow donkeys.

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