League of Women Voters of
the
Upper Valley
League of Women Voters of
the
Upper ValleyHanover, NH, Norwich, VT and neighboring towns
Voter Participation in Hanover, a committee
report
Introduction and Background
Voter Turnout in Hanover--TablesTable 1Voter Turnout Hanover Town Meeting, 1980-2004 Table 1 A Voter Turnout Hanover all elections 1999-2004 Table 2 Percentage of registered voters casting ballots at Dresden School District budget votes 1991-2004 Table 3 Percentage of voters by town at Dresden School District annual meeting ballot voting 2001-2003 Report:Voter
Participation in Hanover
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INTRODUCTION The underlying foundation of America’s participatory democracy is an informed and involved electorate. Its central assumption is one of self-determination resulting from the right of every adult citizen to vote. Equal voting opportunity distinguishes us and our democratic peer nations from all others. The goals of the League of Women Voters of the Upper Valley are to encourage a better informed, more active citizenry; a more inclusive, participatory local government; sound, democratic public processes based on public debate; and a community climate of mutual concern and respect. Expressing concern at low and declining voter turnout in Hanover in recent years, the League of Women Voters of the Upper Valley, at its 2001 Annual Meeting, resolved to update its previous study of the problem (1991) and to re-invigorate its efforts to achieve greater citizen participation. Subsequently, both the Hanover Select Board and the Dresden School Board gave endorsement to this project. At the national level, voter participation has been declining. Locally, Hanover voter participation at Town Meeting fell from 18.9% in 1991 to 5.4% in 2001. In addition, municipal and school board processes reveal a daunting complexity of meetings and voting practices. Board members have heavy work loads, and there are few candidates willing to stand for elective and major appointed offices. This study offers many recommendations which are directed at modifying some local practices and addressing some of the nationally-observed issues at the local level. These recommendations are subdivided into three major categories: the need to simplify; the need to include and communicate; and the need to be proactive.
BACKGROUND Dozens of Hanover citizens spend thousands of hours of volunteer time annually in elected, appointed and volunteer positions. Each person lends skills, experience and insight that enrich our community in ways reaching far beyond the confines of governmental structures and required services. However, participation continues to decline in two of the core elements of successful democratic process – voting, and candidacy for election and appointment to critical municipal offices. One of the missions of the local chapter of the League of Women Voters since its founding in 1938 is to provide communities with information about local town and school government. In 1999 the League did a major rewriting of its education material for Hanover. "Know Your Officials" continues to be distributed annually. As they are less time-sensitive, "Know Your Government" and its companion, "Know Your Community," are distributed less frequently. In the past, League publications have included "Know Your Town," "Know Your Schools," and a 6-page guidebook to local government and voting titled "How To: Citizen Involvement – Town of Hanover." In 1991, at the request of the Select Board, the League of Women Voters issued its original "Voter Participation Project" report. It examined Hanover voting trends for the previous decade and circumstances which may have affected them – changes in method and location of voting events, changes in population, the effect of presidential election years, weather conditions on election days, and checklist reductions due to decennial list purges. Two conclusions emerged:
A total of five categories of changes were suggested:
Now, a decade later, the League notes with alarm that, although some recommendations have been implemented, the percentage of voter participation has further declined to what is probably an all-time low. At the same time, the town faces several very large decisions, the social and financial impacts of which will be felt far into the future. Thus, at its 2001 Annual Meeting (May 15), the League of Women Voters of the Upper Valley approved unanimously the formation of a new study group whose purpose is "to study factors contributing to the degree to which voters are informed and active in our local community." This report follows the 1991 format, thus creating a 21-year study of voting patterns in Hanover. The study group adopted the following mission statement to guide its work: "At its best, a healthy democratic government is a living, breathing entity, ever-constant in its principles, ever-changing in its responsiveness to community needs. The essential element of this government is the voice of the people debating, defining, and redefining the collective will of the community. Representatives of the people are elected or appointed to translate that will into evolving reality. At its best, democracy is both a privilege and a participatory responsibility in which all members of the community inform themselves, join the debate, and express their conclusions through voting."
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