Voter Turnout in a Primary Election in Harris County

The total number of voters for Republican Party in the cumulative report on 1 st march
2016, had total number of voters as 329,768,the number of absentee was 24,123 giving a total
of 327,046(99.17%) and the under votes totalled to 2,704 (0.82%). The figures were
displayed among thirteen presidential candidate of Republican Party. My precinct is district
7, with three presidential candidates from Republican Party. The total number of voters was
85,770 which is 22.73% of total county voters, 77,300(90.12%) voted with over votes of 2
and under votes of 8,468 adding up to 9.87% of the total voters in the precinct. District 7 has
more number of non-voters than the county at large; the per cent for non-voters in the county
was 0.82% (2,704) while in district 7 was 9.87% (8,468).
The Democratic Party election of 1 st march 2016 had eight presidential candidates and
the total number of voters was 227,280. The number of people who cast their votes was
222,683 (97.98%), over votes 62 (0.03%) and under votes 4,535 (2.00%). District 7 had
36,114 registered voters which was9.57% of Harris county population. 24,190 (66.98%)
voted while 11,924 (33.02%) did not vote, this gave a low turnout as a third of the registered
voters did not vote. The election turnout of the county was higher (97.98%) than that of
district 7 (66.98%). In comparison, county election for Republican Party had fewer non-
voters to that of Democratic Party both at county and district level.

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In precinct 0007, the registered voters for Republican Party canvass report, 998 voters
were registered with0.40% turnout in precinct 0007 there were 998 registered voters for
Democratic Party with 21.04% turnout. The turnout for Republican Party was higher than
that for Democratic Party in Harris County. Total Democratic Party canvass report was
227,280 registered voters and the number of voters was 204,324 with 22,956 non-voters.
Republican Party canvass report had 329,768 registered voters, the total number of people
that voted was 293,429 with 36,339 non-voters. Republican Party has more voters country
wide 329,768 than Democratic Party which has 227,280 in cumulative report. In canvas
report, the Republican Party had a higher number of registered voters 329,768 than
Democratic Party which had 293,429.
The number of voters going to the election ballot each year is decreasing as people
refuse to exercise their rights due to many reasons. Making voting registration easier,
encouraging online registration and online voting would increase voting turnout as many
people are too busy and politics is the less of their worry. Online voting though good should
use security technology that does not allow cyber security. A lot of time is wasted in
streamline and voting should be simplified by use of technology in phones of poolers. Better
technologies can easy everything from long lines to ballot designs thus investing in more
technology for security and voting.
The government should hire engaged and invested poll workers who are properly
trained for their work. More training and expertise is required with works willing to invest
their time on their work. More people should be involved in politics and democracy between
election cycles and this can lead to high voter participation (Widestorm, 2015). Lawmakers
should encourage people to ask questions and give their opinion online, connecting with
legislation and changing their negative opinion on politics. All voters should know their

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voting rights, time spent during voting reduced, voting online and encouraging more people
to vote before voting day thus increasing turn out (“Voter Turnout and Vote Choice”).

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Work Cited

“Voter Turnout and Vote Choice.” Guide to Political Campaigns in America (n.d.): 127-139.
Widestrom, Amy. Displacing Democracy: Economic Segregation in America. N.p., 2015.
Print.