As voters, we’ve become a nation of cynics. Fewer than 60 percent of eligible voters turned out in the last presidential election; in New York state it was less than half. We watch with concern as people risk their lives to vote in struggling democracies around the world, yet here at home we shrug our shoulders when passing up this most democratic of opportunities.
To be sure, a number of practical steps are being pursued to make it easier to “get out the vote.” Early voting, same-day registration, and no-excuse absentee ballots are all well-intentioned and increasingly successful attempts to remove obstacles in the path to the voting booth.
