Many small New England towns like Shutesbury are lucky enough to have two types of democracy at our disposal: representative democracy, where we elect our governing officials, and direct democracy, through the venerable tradition of Town Meetings.
But voter participation, particularly at Town Meetings, is on the decline. The pandemic has put a strain on in-person meetings and voting, but problems with voter participation predate Covid-19. Towns as diverse as Great Barrington and Mansfield bemoan the trickle of voters that appear at Annual Town Meetings.
In Shutesbury, only 219 out of 1,494 registered voters showed up to Annual Town Meeting, which was held outside and therefore did not have the space restrictions of the school gymnasium. A mere 308 ballots were cast to elect local officials, an activity that did not require voters to remain at Town Meeting.
Why do so few participate in Town Meetings? I believe the answers lie with confidence in the structure of our democracy and a comfortable lifestyle that lulls us into a state of indifference. In other words: trust and apathy.
Trust in Government
At the heart of representative government is the idea that those we vote into positions of authority will have our best interests in mind. As responsible voters, we vet candidates to ascertain whether they mirror our belief system and are committed to responsible governing. Because we don’t have the time or energy to be involved in the day-to-day running of our local government, we put our faith in those we elect to do the job for us. It’s a reasonable expectation.
Since we assume our government is running like a well-oiled machine, we turn our attention to other things: family, friends, work, and so on. Unless a problem arises that we cannot ignore, we go about our business and don’t worry about what is happening at Town Hall. We attend annual Town Meetings and believe that we have a direct voice in how the town is run and how our tax money is spent.
But what happens when we find out about problems in government? We may complain in an effort to set things right and vote for different candidates at the next election cycle. We may make our concerns known at our Town Meeting, registering our opinions on the issues of the day.
This is the way our government is supposed to work. We trust, but we also keep an eye on things. We stay involved.
Unfortunately, this is often not the case. For many voters, problems with local government administration does not prompt a trip to the ballot box or Town Meeting. Some complain about the suboptimal state of affairs, but still do nothing to try to set things right.
The problem is that too many of us just don’t care.
Voter Apathy
In the U.S., where the standard of living is higher than in many other countries, voter apathy is rampant. A voting participation study from 2015 showed the U.S. coming in at a dismal 185 out of 196 countries. Boston’s recent mayoral election saw a mere 28.9% of registered voters hit the polls.
When National Public Radio asked people why they chose not to vote when they easily could have done so, respondents noted a variety of reasons: they’re too busy, don’t care, don’t trust the system, and/or don’t think their vote will make a difference.
There is little doubt that each vote counts at Town Meeting, yet people still do not attend. This is problematic in many ways:
➤ Votes taken will not reflect the opinions of the majority;
➤ Groups with an agenda can easily “pack the meeting” to attain a certain outcome;
➤ Officials learn to expect minimal attendance and may cater to minority, rather than majority, concerns;
➤ Elections will favor the incumbent power structure, stifling change.
A comment on a recent NextDoor Shutesbury thread spoke to the issue of “empathy”. As taxes continue to rise with no obvious increase in town services, should we not be concerned about others in town for whom this reality causes financial hardship? Between 2010 and 2020, Shutesbury’s total budget and tax rate steadily increased, putting pressure on the 42.4% of us who make under $75,000 annually. Adding additional items to an already large budget will cause more distress for almost half of Shutesbury residents.
The good news is that we can reverse this trend toward apathy if we wish to do so. The pandemic and Zoom have made keeping up with the meetings of various boards and committees easier, and most agendas and minutes can be found on the town website. Take some time to familiarize yourself with the issues of the day before Town Meeting, then show up! Town Meeting is just one day out of the year. Let’s make it count.
Tell Us Your Story!
Do you have strong feelings about Town Meeting? Do you attend? Why or why not? We want to know!
Many voters feel disenfranchised and disillusioned with a system that is supposed to listen to and represent the concerns of all residents and respect the voice of the majority. Yet most towns can’t muster a majority of voters at their Town Meetings. How can the wishes of the people be discovered and discussed when those very people are silent and absent?
Please go to this blog post announcement link on NextDoor and weigh in. The only way we can get our town government to reflect our wants and needs is to attend Town Meeting and vote. If we can address the reasons people avoid doing so, perhaps we can change—for the benefit of us all—the direction of our local government.
Weekly Factoids, Special Edition: Inspirational Quotes, courtesy of Brainyquote
People have moved beyond apathy, beyond skepticism into deep cynicism. - Elliot Richardson
The death of democracy is not likely to be an assassination from ambush. It will be a slow extinction from apathy, indifference, and undernourishment. - Robert M. Hutchins
Voting is completely important. People in America think democracy is a given. I think of it as an ecosystem, and what gets in the way of it is politicians and apathy. - Henry Rollins
Is it ignorance or apathy? Hey, I don’t know and I don’t care. - Jimmy Buffett
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