@stevep59 Corruption is unfortunately a big possibility. But then again, "never attribute to malice or stupidity that which can be explained by moderately rational individuals following incentives in a complex system." If both parties had a drop in turnout, I think that points to a rise in political apathy in the population. Why vote when in most states your vote doesn't matter? And why vote if you can only choose between the lesser of two evils in a self-perpetuating two-party system where both parties claim to stand for the same things? (I read a good chunk of the voter pamphlet, and indeed, many competing candidates had the exact same platform.)
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@stevep59 Corruption is unfortunately a big possibility. But then again, "never attribute to malice or stupidity that which can be explained by moderately rational individuals following incentives in a complex system." If both parties had a drop in turnout, I think that points to a rise in political apathy in the population. Why vote when in most states your vote doesn't matter? And why vote if you can only choose between the lesser of two evils in a self-perpetuating two-party system where both parties claim to stand for the same things? (I read a good chunk of the voter pamphlet, and indeed, many competing candidates had the exact same platform.)