Almost Half Of Louisiana’s Candidates Will Run Unopposed In October

I must not be looking at the same websites or hearing the same radio newscasts that the rest of the state is paying attention to. According my memory, which granted has been faulty at times, there are a lot of people who really don't like the direction our state has been heading.

Yet, almost half, 46% of candidates who are running for an elected post this October 24th will do so unopposed. That means we the people must think that those elected officials are doing a bang up job right?

Well maybe that isn't the case according to Louisiana's Secretary of State Tom Shedler. Mr. Shedler  made a very disturbing comment to the Louisiana Radio Network regarding this lack of participation in the electoral process.He feels as if this is a sign that the public is beginning to simply not care.

Let's face it, the budget situation at least from a legislative side on the state is certainly not the best and maybe folks are steering away from that.

According to the Secretary of State's office in 2007 of the positions that were up for election, 35% of those candidates ran unopposed. In 2011 the figures showed that 39% of candidates ran unopposed for the office they were seeking.

Secretary Shedler suggested the voter apathy is coming from the younger side of the voting spectrum.

When you look at the youth vote in the 18-29 year old range, they are the least registered group and they participate the least. That's scary because it doesn't bode well for the future.

That is very scary because pretty soon the policies and procedures that govern our state will be decided by a handful of voters who are only giving a handful of candidates to choose from.

Perhaps those of us that are older voters should take the time to educate and invigorate the electorate by speaking to those younger voters around us. Maybe it's time we talked more about the rights and responsibility of voting and less about the policies of particular candidates. If we don't we are soon to be a state where nobody runs for office and nobody cares who wins.