How the parties turn out the vote will be the story of this epic election. There are a lot of numbers to think about when it comes to this year’s presidential election. But here’s a big one to chew on: 59 percent. That’s the proportion of Americans who are eligible to vote who cast a ballot for president in 2016. The number was up slightly from 2012, and down a bit from a historic high in 2008. But going back decades, the story is roughly the same: 40 percent of the population doesn’t cast a ballot. In an age where political engagement is through the roof thanks to President Donald Trump, who stokes the strongest of feelings among his supporters and detractors, America is largely dug in. The persuadable middle seems to shrink by the day. That’s why OZY is devoting a large part of our 2020 election coverage to answering the question: Who Cares? |