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2020-10-13 Home Front: Politix

States with the Best & Worst Representation on Election Day

[Wallet News] Election history reveals a perpetually glaring problem in America: low voter turnout among certain demographic groups, including young, minority and low-income citizens. Although demographic composition does not necessarily reflect Americans’ political conscience, the data historically have helped to predict voting behavior among different segments of society and consequently have impacted election outcomes. A recent Pew Research report, for instance, found that very different demographic groups support Joe Biden and Donald Trump.

In previous analyses of the U.S. electorate, WalletHub determined which states’ and metro areas’ populations most closely mirror the rest of the nation. We also compared the likeness of the U.S. with Iowa and New Hampshire. On the heels of those reports and ahead of this November’s presidential election, WalletHub’s analysts determined which of the 50 states’ voters are most demographically representative of their electorates. More specifically, we compared each state’s voter distribution to its electorate distribution by race, age and gender to determine the state’s Voter Representation Index. We then applied the same approach to determine the National Voter Representation Index, which compares U.S. voters to the national electorate based on four additional demographic categories: employment status, family income, educational attainment and marital status.

Posted by Besoeker 2020-10-13 05:35|| || Front Page|| [11140 views ] Top

#1 The premise here is that "representation" should be in lockstep with "demographics." I used scare quotes around both those words because both, with respect to the article's definitions, deserve it. Representation, should, of course, be decided by the electorate, that being defined as those who voted for and elected the representative, irrespective of demographics. Demographics should be properly defined as all groups, not just ones that get the article writers panties moist.

It's a faulty premise even if you use definitions of representation and demographics that everyone agrees upon. And never mind that in practice, everyone who gets elected, down to the dog catcher, seems to forget who elected them as quickly as possible. The stand-out exception is Orange Man, and you see how unhappy he makes everyone who didn't vote for him (and some who did, if you actually believe the LIE bovine egesta...)

Posted by M. Murcek 2020-10-13 08:20|| 2020-10-13 08:20|| Front Page Top

#2 Could be something as simply as being too lazy to get out of bed, but I suppose that doesn't print well.

Posted by Besoeker 2020-10-13 08:22|| 2020-10-13 08:22|| Front Page Top

#3 Thanks MM all I can add is ditto.

The electorate is the demos and the demos is the electorate.

Posted by AlanC 2020-10-13 08:29|| 2020-10-13 08:29|| Front Page Top

#4 Could be something as simply as being too lazy to get out of bed

Guess ah'm in a different demographic.
I was early in line when the polls opened today.
The 60 mile round trip was uneventful.

Posted by Skidmark 2020-10-13 11:30|| 2020-10-13 11:30|| Front Page Top

#5 ^Yea, but you won't vote twice - and some of them will.

Posted by g(r)omgoru 2020-10-13 12:02|| 2020-10-13 12:02|| Front Page Top

#6 My voting attendance is mostly to vote "NO!!!" on whatever crackpot Citizen's Initiative is on the ballot...

Posted by magpie 2020-10-13 17:20|| 2020-10-13 17:20|| Front Page Top

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