The morning of Nov. 4 polls will have officially opened all across America, as Election Day 2008 begins.
After over a year of intense media coverage of the 56th Presidential Election, with Canadian news channels covering the material as enthusiastically as their American counterparts, the results should become quite clear as polling stations begin to close and the final ballots are counted.
With the Canadian and American elections only 20 days apart this year, there has been much comparison between the two events.
Canada’s record-breaking low voter turnout has now been succeeded by millions of Americans having already voted at early polling stations.
This seems to provide the idea that the US voter turnout might actually increase from the 2004 election, and the comparison leaves citizens and political scientists alike wondering, ‘why’?
“I think it is our particular situation.” said Marc James, a political science professor at Brock. “Most people weren’t really unhappy with the government – but on the other hand, [they] weren’t really excited about the government enough to give them a majority here in Canada, so I think that [Canadian citizens] really didn’t have a lot motivation to go out and vote.
“There has been a real great effort [in America] to actually try and motivate people to go out and vote, and make it easier to vote.”
According to some estimates, the amount of ballots cast before Nov. 4 could amount to up to one third of the United States’ population, up 22 per cent from the 2004 election.
Polling officials are expecting, in the United States, approximately 45 per cent of the population to vote, which would make this election the highest voter turnout at a presidential election since 1960.
This is in comparison to Canada’s turnout of 59.1 per cent of the population in this year’s election, which is the lowest voter turnout in the country’s history.
Beyond this comparison, it still remains to be seen what this possible increase in voter turnout means for the US: a victory for Obama or for McCain?
“I think that there would be considerable disappointment in the world if McCain/Palin won [and that] expectations are sky high for an Obama presidency,” said Paul Hamilton, a professor of comparative politics and part of the Political Science faculty at Brock. “For the US, [an Obama victory] will heighten optimism and hope. It may help the US economy as people gain confidence in the Obama administration’s ability to navigate the recession.”
“I think an Obama win would help to repair Canadians’ view of the US. Although, it must be said, that with the economy as it is, the Democrats may be more protectionist and this would be a concern as the US is our main trading partner.”
On Nov. 4, America will choose between Illinois Sen. Barack Obama, who would be the first African American president and Arizona Sen. John McCain, who would be the oldest candidate to be elected to a first presidential term.
Going into the weekend prior to election day, some media sources portrayed a Democratic lead, while others reiterated the tight race it has been, and should continue to be.
“I don’t think it’s as predictable as everyone says it is, or the media is suggesting it is,” said James.
source: brockpress.com
Recent Comments