Op-Ed: You Need to Fill Out Your Entire Ballot - The Importance of Down-Ballot Voting
Vote-by-mail ballots for the presidential primary election are seen on March 12, 2024, at the Clark County Elections Office in Vancouver, Wash. (Photo: AP Photo/Jenny Kane)
The United States’ 1860 presidential election, in which Republican Abraham Lincoln defeated Southern Democrat John C. Breckinridge, Constitutional Unionist John Bell, and Democrat Stephen A. Douglas, saw the highest recorded voter turnout in American history, with nearly 80 percent of eligible voters casting ballots. Despite the ratification of the 15th, 20th, and 26th Amendments, which significantly expanded the voter pool, voter turnout in the US has decreased over the 20th and 21st centuries. Since the 1990 election, the average voter turnout in presidential elections has been 58.8 percent. The 2020 presidential election, where Democrat Joe Biden defeated Republican Donald Trump, achieved the highest voter turnout since 1908, with 66.6 percent of the eligible population casting a ballot. However, US turnout still lags behind other nations, ranking 31st in voter participation among other countries in the Organization for Economic Cooperation and Development.
Despite these lower turnout rates, the US presidential election remains the nation’s most prominent and widely participated electoral event. Significant resources are allocated to presidential campaigns. For instance, in the 2024 election, over half a billion dollars has been spent on television and radio advertisements for the two major candidates, Kamala Harris and Donald Trump. This extensive coverage extends beyond traditional media, encompassing presidential and vice presidential debates, town halls, rallies, Twitch streams, podcasts, TikToks, and more.
With such a low turnout for a highly publicized race, is it any wonder that candidates further down the ballot see even less engagement? In a recent episode of the “Dumber Blonde” podcast, host Ken Eurich told her listeners that she had voted early. Eurich expressed shock at the number of candidates on her ballot, saying she had only expected two names. Eurich immediately defended herself from anticipated criticism, asking, “Guys, you’re gonna act like you know every single name on your ballot?” Frighteningly, Eurich is not alone in her ignorance and surprise. While presidential, congressional, and gubernatorial candidates receive substantial press coverage, candidates and measures further down the ballot rarely do. As a result, more than 30 percent of voters fail to complete their entire ballot. Researchers from the University of Virginia estimate that top-of-the-ballot candidates can get up to five percent more votes than those listed further down.
Down-ballot voting refers to voting for candidates or political contests that are relatively low-profile and local compared to those listed higher on the ballot. The lack of participation in down-ballot voting is not only unfortunate but also concerning. While top-ticket candidates, such as those for president or Congress, have a significant impact and are undoubtedly important, candidates and measures further down the ballot can directly influence daily life.
An official mail-in ballot for the 2024 general election in the United States is shown on Thursday, Oct. 31, 2024, in Tigard, Ore. (Photo: AP Photo/Jenny Kane)
For instance, the position of secretary of state, or secretary of the commonwealth in some areas, is a down-ballot race. Most people are only familiar with Antony Blinken, the US secretary of state tasked with foreign policy. However, with the exceptions of Alaska, Hawaii, and Utah, every state has a secretary of state, and in 35 states, this role is elected. During the 2024 election cycle, elections for secretary of state will take place in Missouri, Montana, North Carolina, Oregon, Vermont, Washington, and West Virginia. The varying responsibilities associated with this role can significantly impact residents depending on their state.
To take into perspective, a pressing issue for many voters in 2024 is business development. The Harris campaign even laid out an “Opportunity Agenda” for black men to “build wealth, support their families, and lead in their communities” through business growth. In Pennsylvania, the secretary of state manages business registrations, directly influencing business development within the state. In Arizona, the secretary of state regulates “maximum allowable wait time” at the polls, impacting Arizonans’ ability to vote.
The influence that local down-ballot candidates have on your life is colossal. Whether you are concerned about garbage collection on your street, the upkeep of state parks so you can picnic there, renewing your driver’s license, the powers of your local police department, or ensuring that schools in your district are not banning books, these responsibilities largely fall under the purview of state or city governments. Your governor, mayor, city council members, city board members, and commissioners are the ones allocating funds and making decisions for these agencies and programs.
Ballot measures, often found down-ballot, also have a significant impact on daily life. While high-profile issues like abortion often gain considerable attention, many other ballot measures are seldom discussed despite their far-reaching effects. This year, Idaho, Iowa, Kentucky, Missouri, North Carolina, Oklahoma, South Carolina, and Wisconsin are allowing voters to decide whether noncitizens can vote in local elections. Additionally, voters in Alaska, California, Massachusetts, and Missouri will cast ballots on minimum wage initiatives. Alaskans and Missourians will decide on raising the minimum wage to $15 an hour, Californians will consider an $18 minimum wage, and Massachusettsans will decide if the wage for tipped workers should match the state’s minimum wage. In 2024 alone, voters in 41 states will consider 146 statewide ballot measures.
Politics often involves climbing the ladder. Many successful down-ballot candidates eventually advance to prominent roles. For example, Texas Governor Greg Abbott and Vice President Kamala Harris both served as the attorney general in their home states. Voting down ballot and unseating candidates you believe are unqualified before they become major contenders with national influence could have a substantial impact.
Research your ballot before you vote. If you are registered with a specific party, you should have received a sample ballot listing all candidates and measures that will appear on your official ballot. If you did not receive one, Ballotpedia offers a digital sample ballot for your area. Take the time to research candidates and measures thoroughly so you can make informed choices. Millions of military service members, abolitionists, suffragists, activists, and devoted citizens have fought — and often sacrificed their lives — to secure your right to vote. Do not squander it. Fill out your entire ballot.