Indifference.
As the future of our democracy is debated in this presidential election, as fears grow that some candidates are intent on unraveling our form of government, as the demonization of facts becomes the norm, perhaps democracy is most at risk from indifference.
According to Ballotpedia and Ballotready, more than 60 percent of the 500,000 elections nationally, most local, go uncontested in the United States. And, according to Pew Research of 50 Economic Cooperation and Development member countries, the United States ranked 31st in 2020, even though Pew says voter turnout surged that year. The turnout in 2020’s heavily contested presidential election, was 63.8 percent in the United States. Two years before it was 47.5 percent, according to Pew.
Uncontested elections are commonplace across the country, and in Rhode Island. According to Ballotpedia, 69 percent of Rhode Island’s local general elections and a third of state legislative elections went unchallenged in 2022.
“The trend we have been seeing is the smaller the population of the election jurisdiction, the more uncontested seats there tend to be,” said George Palley, Ballotpedia’s Editor-in-Chief, in a PR/Newswire article last December. “That’s a concern because canceled and uncontested elections are not a sign of a healthy, functioning democracy.”
“Voters left scanning through potentially hundreds of high impact positions on their ballot with only one option to vote for, more likely skip (voting) altogether…incumbents remain in office, unchallenged and unaccountable to voters,” according to Ballotready.
Much has been written how apathy is the greatest threat to democracy, not the only threat, but the greatest. Many observers believe that healthy opposition should lead to meaningful debate about critical local or statewide issues.
Several area politicians ran unopposed in either the primary or general elections. The fact they have run unopposed is no reflection on the quality of representation they provide for the community, but rather the lack of interest of others to run for those offices.
In 2022:
- Middletown — nine individuals ran for seven council seats; five individuals ran for four school committee seats.
- Portsmouth – four candidates for four school committee seats.
- Newport – all three ward council seats were unopposed; there were eight candidates for seven seats.
- Jamestown – both council and school committee seats, plus town moderated ran unopposed.
- Tiverton – Both school committee and council seats, and probate judge ran unopposed.
- Little Compton – Town’s moderate and clerk ran unopposed.
- Several representatives ran unopposed, including Rep. Marvin Abney, D-Dist. 73; Rep. Lauren Carson, D-Dist. 75; Rep. Terri-Denise Cortvriend, D-Dist. 72; and Rep. Alex Finkelman, D-Dist. 74.