Record-high turnout expected in U.S. presidential election
- 3 years ago
美 대선 '역대급' 사전 투표 열기... 그 이유는?
Americans want to make their voices heard, and they want to do it safely in the pandemic.
Early voting, in fact, has surged in this year's election.
Our Choi Won-jong spoke with an expert to find out why.
The 2020 U.S. presidential election is on course to break records in terms of voter turnout.
According to the U.S. Elections Project, more than 64 million Americans have already cast their ballots either by post or in person, so some experts say turnout is going to reach levels not seen in more than a century.
In 1908, voter turnout was 65-point-4 percent.
By 1924 it had fallen to a low of 48-point-9 percent,... and four years ago, it was 55-point-5 percent.
But if 150 million people vote, which projections suggest could happen, turnout would be 65 percent.
More voters have already cast ballots than did in all early voting in 2016.
In Texas, with more than 7-point-4 million ballots cast, early voting is up 164 percent.
But what's causing turnout to skyrocket in this year's election in particular?
An expert explains that the pandemic has brought people in direct contact with their government, which has created a lot of opinions about its response to the pandemic.
"If you appreciate the way pandemic has been handled you are motivated to go out and show that appreciation and you dislike it you are absolutely motivated to go out and get yourself a new government."
To avoid the risk of COVID-19 in the large crowds on Election Day, many people are choosing to vote as early as possible.
But also, a figure like President Trump motivates people to vote whether they like him or not.
"President Trump has really become all-encompassing figure in American politics. Everyone has an opinion about it even if you don't care about politics yourself."
Whether the surge in early voting is more because of the pandemic or because of greater interest among voters, higher turnout is generally believed to benefit the Democrats.
Choi Won-jong, Arirang News.
Americans want to make their voices heard, and they want to do it safely in the pandemic.
Early voting, in fact, has surged in this year's election.
Our Choi Won-jong spoke with an expert to find out why.
The 2020 U.S. presidential election is on course to break records in terms of voter turnout.
According to the U.S. Elections Project, more than 64 million Americans have already cast their ballots either by post or in person, so some experts say turnout is going to reach levels not seen in more than a century.
In 1908, voter turnout was 65-point-4 percent.
By 1924 it had fallen to a low of 48-point-9 percent,... and four years ago, it was 55-point-5 percent.
But if 150 million people vote, which projections suggest could happen, turnout would be 65 percent.
More voters have already cast ballots than did in all early voting in 2016.
In Texas, with more than 7-point-4 million ballots cast, early voting is up 164 percent.
But what's causing turnout to skyrocket in this year's election in particular?
An expert explains that the pandemic has brought people in direct contact with their government, which has created a lot of opinions about its response to the pandemic.
"If you appreciate the way pandemic has been handled you are motivated to go out and show that appreciation and you dislike it you are absolutely motivated to go out and get yourself a new government."
To avoid the risk of COVID-19 in the large crowds on Election Day, many people are choosing to vote as early as possible.
But also, a figure like President Trump motivates people to vote whether they like him or not.
"President Trump has really become all-encompassing figure in American politics. Everyone has an opinion about it even if you don't care about politics yourself."
Whether the surge in early voting is more because of the pandemic or because of greater interest among voters, higher turnout is generally believed to benefit the Democrats.
Choi Won-jong, Arirang News.