Voting rates are not high across the country and many have considered ways to increase participation. A new initiative in Arizona would award a lucky, randomly-selected voter $1 million just for casting a ballot.
Supporters of the effort see it as a way to get voters to the polls to have a "truly representative government." They argue that campaigns could then spend less on get-out-the-vote efforts and more on educating citizens about the issues. The initiative has been submitted to the secretary of state and if the required number of signatures are valid, it will appear on the November 2006 ballot.
According to an Arizona Republic article about the initiative, 77 percent of those who were registered voted in the last election. However, a large number of people who are of voting age are not registered.
The payout would be funded by unclaimed lottery dollars.
I have read this initiative and found out some interesting facts that are not widely publicized. Unclaimed lottery money in Arizona is used for two purposes: 70% is used for higher payouts and better prizes, but the remaining 30% is the sole funding source for a program called CASA that provides court advocates for neglected, abandoned and abused children. Take money from the pot, take money from those kids. It's a bad idea in a pretty package.
Posted by: Nan | June 01, 2006 at 10:25 AM