Identify two explinations that are particulary relevent for low voter Essay

Identify two explinations that are particulary relevent for low voter turnout in local elections as compared to national elections - Essay Example Current research has shown that one of the most critical reasons for lower voter turnout in local elections as compared to national elections is election timing. Hajnal and Lewis (2003) believe that scheduling local elections at the same time as statewide primaries or general elections would immediately increase number of votes cast in the local elections, because national elections historically have higher voter turnout (Hajnal and Lewis, 2003). The reason for this increase, as Hajnal and Lewis (2003) explain, is that it would be very convenient for voter to have just one day of elections, where they would have to check a few more names on their local election lists in addition to national election lists. Naturally, it makes sense. The voters would have to take less time out of their busy schedules to commute to the election sites. Besides, single election day requires less planning and organization on the part of the voters, and thus it becomes more convenient. Another reason for lower turnout in local elections is the limitation of the local government in terms of its service delivery arrangements as identified by Hajnal and Lewis (2003). A lot of local governments contract out the city services. For example, city councils will contract with county governments to provide the services for the city. This practice has a lot of advantages, such as more efficient and more cost-effective service delivery. However, at the same time this practice has its negative effects, especially when it comes to local elections. It reduces the power of local officials, such as their ability to provide and control local jobs. As a result, reduced power leads to reduced interests in local officials and local governance overall during the local elections. Thus, voter turnout in local elections can be increased by scheduling the local elections at the same time as national elections, and by providing more power to local officials. These steps would increase public