November 2, 2004 - a.k.a. "Get Off Your Duff and Vote" Day

Since we are, as of today, exactly 23 weeks away from Election Day, maybe it's time to look at ways we can increase voter turnout in the U.S. It's widely acknowledged that the "undecideds" are going to be a key to this presidential election and I believe those are the people who are least likely to get out there and vote.

This article from Slate (with an admittedly anti-Bush slant -- what a shock) has some ideas about why people do and don't vote, and some unusual theories on making voting fun again to get the chronically apathetic to vote. (My favorite is the lotto one.)

If you're wondering why "The Governator" really won the CA recall election, read the article. If you haven't learned anything yet today and don't know who Cotton Mather is (I didn't), read the article. If you don't vote and don't plan to because the whole system is a sham, don't read the article, read this one. If you already vote come Hell or high water and think the millions of people who don't vote are fools who deserve what they get, don't read the article. Come back tomorrow and I'll try to find a different way to annoy you. :-)