The Rural Vote - More Important Than Ever in '06
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By Cyndie Sirekis
During the 2004 presidential
election, slightly more than 50 percent of registered voters went to the
polls to choose our nation’s leader for the next four years. That
contrasts with years without a presidential election on the ballot, when
poll turnout typically drops to about one-third of eligible voters. The
same scenario is likely to play out in November, which presents an
incredible opportunity for rural voters – farmers and non-farmers alike
– to make their voices heard.
This year Americans will elect
36 state governors, 33 seats in the U.S. Senate, the entire House of
Representatives. This year, there is considerable speculation regarding
the partisan balance of Congress. In addition, hundreds of officials at
the state, county, parish and township levels will be selected.
Although residents of rural
America make up 20 to 23 percent of our nation’s population, research
shows they tend to turn out at the polls in far greater numbers then their
urban and suburban counterparts. If the overall voter apathy trend
continues among urban and suburban residents, while rural residents come
out to the polls in droves, each vote cast becomes even more significant.
Among rural residents, farmers
and ranchers are well-known to have a high level of political activity. As
independent business families, they have a lot at stake. While they
produce affordable food, fiber and fuel, they also take care of our
nation’s land, forests and streams. Together, farmers and non-farm
voters living in the same communities can help make rural America a force
to be reckoned with by exercising their right to vote.
Even though lots of folks are
talking about the political balance of Congress, without a presidential
election on the ballot this fall, the din from the media about the
candidates will likely be somewhat muted by comparison. However, many
special interest groups and organizations are more than happy to tell you
how to vote.
Compounding the situation is the
fact that political candidates running for office can be like chameleons,
they often change to blend in with their environment as they seek your
vote as the countdown to Election Day nears.
Prime examples of this can be
seen throughout rural America, particularly during fair season. We will
see candidates scrambling to conjure up heartland imagery – by eating
barbecue, shucking sweet corn, milking cows and, yes, kissing babies.
Even so, it’s up to each one
of us as voters to dig deeper than the family-friendly images presented by
the candidates. We must determine which candidate will do the best job
representing rural residents, agriculture and all of America. We need to
do that, then get out and vote our conscience. Each vote can and does make
a difference.
Cyndie Sirekis is a director of news services with the American Farm
Bureau Federation.
