By Rob Hotakainen
Published July 27th 2005 in Minneapolis Star Tribune
WASHINGTON, D.C. -- More proof that Minnesotans take their politics
seriously: A new report ranks the state No. 1 in its "democracy index,"
saying Minnesotans led the nation in voter turnout and had the most
competitive congressional races in 2004.
The report, called "Dubious Democracy 2005," ranked the states on a number of factors, including average margin of victory, voter turnout and the number of House races won by landslides.
Wisconsin ranked second in the index, followed by Missouri, Oregon and Colorado. Florida, Hawaii and Arkansas ranked last.
Minnesota took top honors even though all eight of the state's House members were reelected last year and six of the incumbents won by landslide margins of at least 20 percent.
The study, which was released Tuesday, said that's proof of how few states have thriving congressional elections.
Minnesota had the highest voter turnout last fall at 75 percent. But the study found that 54 percent of the state's eligible voters did not vote for the candidate who now represents them in Congress.
Even as Minnesota received a pat on the back, the report concluded that 2004 was the least competitive year ever in House elections across the country.
The report was conducted by FairVote: The Center for Voting and Democracy, a nonpartisan, nonprofit organization based in Maryland that studies national elections.
The report noted that only five House incumbents lost to challengers, and that only 10 out of 435 races were won by margins of 5 percent or less. Nearly six of seven races were won by landslides of at least 20 percent.
Next year, with an open Senate seat and an open House seat on the ballot, Minnesota promises to be one of the nation's most politically competitive states. Democratic Sen. Mark Dayton is not seeking reelection, while Republican Rep. Mark Kennedy is giving up his Sixth District House seat to run for Dayton's seat.
Ryan O'Donnell, spokesman for FairVote, said the study's results show that Minnesotans have an "independent and participatory spirit" that makes their votes count more than voters in other states.
"It's not the case in Minnesota that one party can sweep. ... It's not like a Massachusetts," he said.
The report noted that since 1952, the White House has changed partisan control six times in 13 elections.
And while control of the Senate has switched hands several times, including five times in the past 25 years, control of the House has changed only once in 26 elections.
The report also found growing apathy toward Congress among voters: Nearly one of every 11 voters skipped over House races when they voted last year.
Rob Hotakainen is at [email protected].
The report, called "Dubious Democracy 2005," ranked the states on a number of factors, including average margin of victory, voter turnout and the number of House races won by landslides.
Wisconsin ranked second in the index, followed by Missouri, Oregon and Colorado. Florida, Hawaii and Arkansas ranked last.
Minnesota took top honors even though all eight of the state's House members were reelected last year and six of the incumbents won by landslide margins of at least 20 percent.
The study, which was released Tuesday, said that's proof of how few states have thriving congressional elections.
Minnesota had the highest voter turnout last fall at 75 percent. But the study found that 54 percent of the state's eligible voters did not vote for the candidate who now represents them in Congress.
Even as Minnesota received a pat on the back, the report concluded that 2004 was the least competitive year ever in House elections across the country.
The report was conducted by FairVote: The Center for Voting and Democracy, a nonpartisan, nonprofit organization based in Maryland that studies national elections.
The report noted that only five House incumbents lost to challengers, and that only 10 out of 435 races were won by margins of 5 percent or less. Nearly six of seven races were won by landslides of at least 20 percent.
Next year, with an open Senate seat and an open House seat on the ballot, Minnesota promises to be one of the nation's most politically competitive states. Democratic Sen. Mark Dayton is not seeking reelection, while Republican Rep. Mark Kennedy is giving up his Sixth District House seat to run for Dayton's seat.
Ryan O'Donnell, spokesman for FairVote, said the study's results show that Minnesotans have an "independent and participatory spirit" that makes their votes count more than voters in other states.
"It's not the case in Minnesota that one party can sweep. ... It's not like a Massachusetts," he said.
The report noted that since 1952, the White House has changed partisan control six times in 13 elections.
And while control of the Senate has switched hands several times, including five times in the past 25 years, control of the House has changed only once in 26 elections.
The report also found growing apathy toward Congress among voters: Nearly one of every 11 voters skipped over House races when they voted last year.
Rob Hotakainen is at [email protected].
Election Day '09 was a roller-coaster for election reformers. Instant runoff voting had a great night in Minnesota, where St. Paul voters chose to implement IRV for its city elections, and Minneapolis voters used IRV for the first time—with local media touting it as a big success. As the Star-Tribune noted in endorsing IRV for St. Paul, Tuesday’s elections give the Twin Cities a chance to show the whole state of Minnesota the benefits of adopting IRV. There were disappointments in Lowell and Pierce County too, but high-profile multi-candidate races in New Jersey and New York keep policymakers focused on ways to reform elections; the Baltimore Sun and Miami Herald were among many newspapers publishing commentary from FairVote board member and former presidential candidate John Anderson on how IRV can mitigate the problems of plurality elections.