In 2024, 16,140,044 California residents voted in the general election; however, in 2022, only 11,146,620 voted.
In 2024, nearly 44.79% more California residents voted, despite population levels staying nearly the same. The major distinction between the 2022 and 2024 elections is that the 2024 election was a presidential election, where citizens cast their vote for the next president. The 2022 election, on the other hand, was a midterm election, where voters decided on Congress members, the governor of California, and other statewide offices. In fact, this disparity can be seen with every general election, as voters are far more likely to vote in presidential elections than midterm elections.
This effect is not isolated in California, as across the United States, voter turnout is higher for presidential elections than midterm elections. In 2020, a presidential election year, 66.6% of eligible citizens voted, whereas in 2022, a midterm election year, only 46% voted.
This may be due to voter dissatisfaction, as voters who are unhappy with the government may be more motivated to participate in order to make changes in policy areas they care about.
According to the Pew Research Center, in 2023, 61% of Americans had a favorable view of their local government. However, only 22% had a favorable view of the federal government.
This can be counterproductive, as many of the issues voters are concerned with can best be solved through policy implementation at the state or local level.
A significant example of this is violent crime. According to the Pew Research Center, 61% of voters indicated violent crime as an issue that was very important to their vote in the 2024 presidential election.
However, state and local policies shape law enforcement and criminal justice more than federal policies. State and local governments are responsible for most funding for criminal justice programs, law enforcement, prosecution, and incarceration. In 2017, state and local governments spent over $240 billion on law enforcement and criminal justice; however, in 2016, the federal government spent only $55 billion on the same costs, according to the Council on Criminal Justice.
A similar story can be seen in various areas, including public education, welfare programs, and elections, where state or local governments hold the majority of the power in implementing policy and allocating funding.
Voters concerned with these issues should look towards their state and local governments for improvements, rather than demanding change in the federal government. However, Americans are far more likely to vote in presidential than midterm elections. In fact, the last time a midterm election had higher voter turnout than the previous presidential election was in 1838.
Although participating politically at a national level is an important right and responsibility, participating at the local and state levels is just as, if not more important.
*This editorial reflects the views of the Editorial Board and was written by Linda Reeder. The Editorial Board voted 13 in agreement, 2 somewhat in agreement, and 1 refrained from voting.
