When we look at civil law in the US through an Australian lens, one detail always stands out: voting is optional.
There is a long-standing belief in the US that this is actually benefits the Republican Party.
Democratic strategists will tell you that higher overall voter turnout will benefit their party.
This is because even in elections where not many people vote, Republicans consistently perform significantly better, which gives them the election victory.
Let’s take the 2024 presidential election as an example.
Modeling by the data-driven political science publication On Data and Democracy suggests About twice as many Democrats remained at home as Republicans.
Voters with a registered party affiliation don’t necessarily always vote in that direction, but it’s a pretty good indicator of what Democrats might gain from higher voter turnout… or what Republicans might lose.
Lisa Hill, Professor of Political Science at the University of Adelaide, wrote a comprehensive article on the risks associated with Trump’s rhetoric. Here’s how she explains it:
“For those who believe their votes will be stolen, voting at all becomes a waste of time and energy,” she writes.
“It is well established that corruption and low levels of trust and support for government reduce turnout in elections.”
We may have to wait until the midterm elections in November or even the presidential elections in 2028 to see if any of Trump’s statements about the 2020 election results will have any effect.
In the meantime, we have plenty of food for thought.