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For immediate release.
December 11, 2000
Contact: Chris Heagarty, N.C. Center for Voter Education,
(919) 839-1200

N.C. Voter Turnout Hits Rock Bottom

RALEIGH - Having certified final tallies from the general election yesterday, today the State Board of Elections provided the North Carolina Center for Voter Education with statistics that indicate that only 56.7 percent of registered voters participated in the November 7th general election, the lowest turnout in a presidential election year perhaps ever.

The State Board of Elections figures show that of 5,186,094 registered voters, only 2,942,062 voted on November 7th, or 56.7 percent. Voter turnout has been on a precipitous decline for over 30 years. In the 1968 presidential election year, 76.4 percent of registered voters participated.

"The writing is on the wall," said Chris Heagarty, executive director of the N.C. Center for Voter Education. "We need election reform."

The Center cited the escalating cost of campaigns, the perceived influence on candidates by special interests, and the blitz of negative ads that filled the state’s airwaves as the chief causes of voter disillusionment.

It recommended the governor-elect and the legislature begin work to achieve a series of meaningful solutions on campaign finance reform, such as a ban on unregulated "soft" money, stronger disclosure rules on who is giving to campaigns, and a voluntary public fund for candidates who refuse big donor and special interest money. Other election reform matters, such as the elimination of punch card ballots, should be addressed too, but not as a substitute for real election reform.

"These reforms will reduce the cost of elections, allow more people to participate in politics, and will help make candidates more accountable to voters," Heagarty said. "We need voter owned elections to bring people back into democracy."

The N.C. Center for Voter Education is a non-partisan, not-for-profit organization based in Raleigh dedicated to improving the quality and responsiveness of North Carolina’s election system. Former U.S. Senator Robert Morgan serves as chairman of the board.

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