Neither Bernie or Busters, JPR members, nor Green party voters are the problem

[La Lioness Priyanka]

the problem is almost always Democrats who support the Democratic candidates in spirit, but don't bother to show up to vote. This is especially true for midterm elections but far too few of us vote.

Our challenge will be getting people out to vote, not just in 2016 but in 2018. Else, Clinton will have the same problem Obama did and her husband did.

I have so many friends passionate about politics who just don't vote, especially in midterms, and I seriously don't get it.

This year, I am going to get more involved in getting people registered to vote. That is my midyear resolve

[LongtimeAZDem]

1. +1 x 10^1,000,000 (nt)

[whatthehey]

2. Yah. There's a crapload more of them than fringeists for a start

And generally much easier to persuade to vote the right way. I've never stayed in one place long enough to build up much of a personal network, and I can't walk well enough to knock on doors but I'm in a semi-rural district now so I think I'll take the day off and volunteer to drive people to the polls once somebody else has done the persuading.

[Hoyt]

3. +1. Registered and show them how to get and file an absentee ballot. Takes little energy.

Standing in line takes effort, is affected by the weather, illness, other priorities, etc. 5 minutes to request a ballot, max. Another 5 to fill it out and mail it back. Or, vote early if one likes standing in line.

[TwilightZone]

4. Agreed. Turnout is key, both in 2016 and in 2018.

We need to make as many gains as possible in the House by 2020, the next redistricting year.

[Demsrule86]

5. I can tell you from experience with GOTV

There are more than a few who just don't think it matters...that nothing will ever change. We have to fight the apathy.

[auntpurl]

6. THIS!!!! A million times this.

I wish I could be there to help GOTV, I really do. It's going to be tough watching from the sidelines this year. I've always canvassed and phone banked. I wonder if I can phone bank from an international number? I have free calls to the US. Must look into that...

I hope the party is concentrating serious efforts and MONEY to states that haven't been our column before. TX, GA, even UT, there are several potentially on the table, and I want to see us get every single one we can. This year is our opportunity to make HUGE gains in the Senate and even the House. With a candidate as dreadful as Trump, we can really make some progress.

[MineralMan]

7. Yup. GOTV is the answer.

It always is, and it's up to us, as politically active people to get involved with it.

[blm]

8. GOTV is crucial in EVERY election.

Great post, La L

[La Lioness Priyanka]

9. yes, we get so wrapped up in squabbling with the fringe

that we forget, that most of our own don't vote.

[tallahasseedem]

10. I totally agree!

GOTV, especially among the younger demographic!

[joshcryer]

11. If we GOTV, we win.

It's rather simple.

The problem is the faux "radicals" like piners depress the vote with their defeatism. You read social media and every fucking comment section on the internet has some assholes shitting on Dems. If they would just shut the fuck up and appreciate, as Obama said today, how blessed we are, we'd get more shit done.

But nope.

[auntpurl]

15. I try to remember

that a whole crapload of people are not on social media and could not care less what the extremists think. My mom doesn't even have a smart phone. But she damned well gets up every election day, drives to the polls, and pulls the lever for the Democrat.

[Ken Burch]

20. But it also requires the party leaders to take the midterms seriously

They should always nationalize the midterms, they should always run ads making sure people know what the party stands for, what it has achieved, and what the other party does when IT gets power.

We can get the vote out if the party itself does the work of getting the message out.

We can't ever get the vote out if the party keeps running midterm campaigns as it did in 1994, 2002, 2010 and 2014...letting the Right control the debate, letting them set the agenda, leaving their attacks and distortions unanswered.

The effort has to come from below AND above.

[FSogol]

12. Awesome. K&R. GOTV, DU.

[Maru Kitteh]

13. GOTV! Without that, none of the rest of it matters. So true.

[Surya Gayatri]

14. + 1,000,000

GOTV GOTV GOTV GOTV GOTV GOTH GOTV

GOTV GOTV GOTV GOTV GOTV GOTH GOTV

GOTV GOTV GOTV GOTV GOTV GOTH GOTV

GOTV GOTV GOTV GOTV GOTV GOTH GOTV

GOTV GOTV GOTV GOTV GOTV GOTH GOTV

GOTV GOTV GOTV GOTV GOTV GOTH GOTV

[Craig234]

16. When we talk about what the problem is

Let's include that some of the problem is the candidate. Whichever candidate, haven't seen a perfect one yet.

For example - did Al Gore, who I have a lot of good to say about, really need to pick Joe Lieberman to run with?

[La Lioness Priyanka]

17. there will never be a perfect candidate, because humans are not perfect and we dont all want the

same thing.

Gore made plenty of mistakes, including Lieberman. However, the rate at which we vote is dismal.

[Craig234]

21. See comment

I agree about the voting; my comment was about people who want to deny there are any problems with the candidates that contribute to things like some people not voting, and demand that no criticisms be made.

[revmclaren]

18. K and R!!!

GOTV!!!!

Remember...NO-WAYS have NO PLACE in this election.

[Ken Burch]

19. People need to vote, but it's not THAT simple:

The party also has to make it important FOR people to vote, by making it clear that the midterms are winnable IF people show up to vote.

I still remember 2010, when I attended our monthly Democratic organizational meeting in Juneau and our then-national committeewoman came back and told us, in SEPTEMBER, of all months, that the party had informed the DNC that the midterms were already lost.

The party leadership has to avoid saying things like that

It also has to nationalize the midterm campaign and make a defense of the achievements of the party. All we had in 2010 and 2014 were Republican attack ads demonizing Obama and our party. We can't win if OUR party's leaders don't defend the record, don't make sure people know of the gains, and don't make it serious as a heart attack that people need to get out to vote.

Most people, even the best of people, are short-term attention-span types when it comes to politics. The Republicans know this and campaign accordingly...our party's strategists still don't seem to get it, for some reason.

Unless and until they DO get it(or are replaced by others who do)we are always going to do badly in midterms.

We can get people out to vote if we TRY to get them out to vote, if we run a race where the party is present and attentive and listening to the people.

We can't expect them to just show up without our leaders making a massive effort.

[Spitfire of ATJ]

22. Too many people actually believe it's God's Will....

I guess they figure all of those turds in congress are a cosmic joke.

[Ken Burch]

23. I am glad that you are going to get more involved in getting people registered.

We all need to do that.

[La Lioness Priyanka]

24. I hope others do too, in states that are less ambiguous than ny

[politicaljunkie41910]

25. As you stated, the problem is not registering but getting people to the polls to vote.

May I suggest that each of us, pick 5-10 people you know, particularly someone who might fit the bill of not getting to the polls on election day, and make it your mission to get them there on election day this year, by reminding them, or advising them to request a ballot by mail so they don't have to wait until the last moment when something unexpected comes up. Then stay on them.

Also, my daughter, who lives in Atlanta, and her friends had an election day party that evening, and the admission price was your "I Voted Today" sticker. They had a pot luck and played games while they waited for the election returns to come in. If you make the day an EVENT, (especially for young people) they are more likely to want to participate.

Have a "Save the Date" Party and make it a tradition. You'll make new friends and you can bond around a common theme.

[tonyt53]

26. You betcha. Voting is also a responsibility for the preservation of our democracy.

[arcane1]

27. Too many people seem to think that President is the only thing appearing on their ballot.

And since that's the race where one's vote does count the least, they assume their vote is meaningless in general.

I hate that attitude, and try to emphasize the state and local elections when dealing with people like that.

[puffy socks]

28. Hmm

I think they are the many of the ones who support the Democratic candidates in spirit, but don't bother to show up to vote.

[ThePhilosopher04]

29. The problem is a candidate who doesn't inspire true liberals to vote for them.

Not the voters themselves. Motivated citizens will vote.

[La Lioness Priyanka]

30. lol she inspired enough democrats to beat her

Opponent. Also we have had low voting participation for ages.