Legal Definitions - low-total voting

Low-total voting refers to an election or ballot measure where a significantly small percentage of eligible voters cast their ballots. This phenomenon often leads to decisions being made by a limited segment of the total electorate, which can give disproportionate influence to the voters who do participate.

Here are some examples illustrating low-total voting:

• Example 1: Local School Board Election

  Imagine a suburban community with 25,000 registered voters. During the annual election for three seats on the local school board, only 2,000 residents cast their votes. Despite the importance of the school board's decisions on local education, only 8% of the eligible population participated.

  This scenario demonstrates low-total voting because a very small fraction of the community's registered voters ultimately decided who would govern the school system. The preferences of the vast majority of eligible voters were not reflected in the outcome.

• Example 2: Special Election for a Minor Infrastructure Bond

  A city schedules a special election on a Tuesday in late July to approve a bond issue for repairing sidewalks in a specific, less populated district. Out of 150,000 registered voters city-wide, only 9,000 ballots are cast. The bond passes with 60% of those 9,000 votes.

  This is an instance of low-total voting because the decision on a municipal bond, even if for a specific area, was made by only 6% of the city's total eligible voters. The timing and perceived localized impact of the issue likely contributed to the minimal turnout, allowing a small group to determine a financial obligation for the entire city.

• Example 3: Primary Election for a Non-Controversial County Office

  In a primary election cycle, a county supervisor seat is up for grabs. The incumbent is running unopposed in their party's primary, and the opposing party's candidate is also running unopposed. With no competitive races for this particular office, only 12% of the county's 300,000 registered voters participate in the primary election.

  This situation exemplifies low-total voting because the candidates who will advance to the general election for this office are effectively chosen by a very small percentage of the overall electorate. The lack of perceived competition or high stakes for this specific primary race resulted in minimal voter engagement.