What?
The 2024 election is over, and “I Did Not Vote” is the winner.
An analysis by the Environmental Voter Project, using data from the University of Florida’s Election Lab, found that 85.9 million eligible voters did not participate in the Nov. 5 general election. This number – voting-age voters eligible to register but who did not cast a ballot – easily surpasses both major candidates’ vote totals (as of Nov. 24, about 76.8 million votes had been cast for former President Donald Trump and 74.3 million for Vice President Kamala Harris).
To put that level of non-participation in perspective, imagine if “I Did Not Vote” was an actual flesh-and-blood candidate. They would’ve taken 36 percent of the popular vote, won 21 states, and garnered 265 electoral votes.
Of course, eligible voters who didn’t cast a ballot likely had a range of reasons, including feeling their vote was irrelevant, confusion and disconnection with the political system, distaste for the state of our politics, perceived quality of candidates, and newly constructed barriers to the ballot, such as Nebraska’s new ID mandate.
So what?
Along with waves of new laws placing unprecedented restrictions on voters across the nation, apathy and disengagement are democracy’s greatest threats. How many people get involved in elections says a lot about our civic health – and to be fair, Nebraska participated at rates moderately better than some states, with 68 percent of vote-eligible residents casting a ballot in 2024 (voter turnout was 76 percent among Nebraska’s registered voters).
Still, that means around 450,000 eligible Nebraskans did not participate this fall. In a state of Nebraska’s size, where local, nonpartisan elections can hinge on just a handful of votes, this has genuine, real-world consequences. When a third of Nebraskans, or nearly 40 percent of eligible Americans, stay home, critical perspectives are missing from our collective decision-making process. Low turnout also exacerbates disparities in political power, often leaving marginalized communities underrepresented. Tuning out, losing trust, and feeling disconnected from voting aren’t just personal concerns – they put the very underpinnings of American democracy at risk.
Now what?
Increasing voter turnout isn’t all about numbers. It’s also about strengthening our democratic and civic foundations, nationally and statewide. When more people vote, elected officials are held accountable to the entire population, not just a narrow subset of voters. Policies are more likely to reflect the collective will of the people. Citizens feel a stronger sense of connection and responsibility for their communities.
Fortunately, there are ways for Nebraska and the country to do better. Starting in 2025, we can:
›› Expand voter education. Civic Nebraska and partners lead efforts to educate Nebraskans through accessible, nonpartisan resources that explain voting procedures, highlight the importance of local elections, and clarify how voting impacts their lives and communities.
›› Simplify registration. Automatic voter registration, or AVR, increases participation by reducing the steps required to become a voter. And same-day registration – allowing voters to join the rolls on Election Day – also would ensure that eligible Nebraskans who missed earlier deadlines can still vote on Election Day.
›› Increase access. In Nebraska, we know that a monthlong early in-person voting window, no-excuse early mail-in voting, and several rural counties voting entirely by mail have made participation easier. For day-of, in-person voting, we must continue to ensure polling locations are convenient, adequately staffed, and equipped to handle demand, especially in rural or underserved areas. Civic Nebraska deploys a robust volunteer election observation program every Election Day to ensure our voting spaces are accessible for all.
›› Make Election Day a state or federal holiday. This removes a significant barrier for many workers and students who struggle to find time to vote during a short window. In addition to amplifying the importance of participation, it allows more people to cast ballots minus the pressure of their daily obligations. We’ve supported recent legislation to make Election Day a state holiday in Nebraska.
›› Engage the grassroots. Civic organizations, local leaders, and trusted community voices must play a larger role in energizing voters. Door-to-door canvassing, voter pledge drives, and transportation assistance programs can all help close the participation gap. In 2024, Civic Nebraska helped register 10,000 new voters in Omaha alone; in the Panhandle, we partnered with Scotts Bluff County on Roll To The Polls, which provided free rides to vote on Nov. 5 from anywhere in the county. But much of the most important work – rebuilding a sense of connection and trust – isn’t reserved for election years.
›› Celebrate voting as a value. Most of all, our narrative around voting must shift from being a civic duty to a celebrated cultural event that everyone should want to participate in. National Voter Registration Day is an excellent example of how to build excitement around the act of voting.
One way or another, we must do better. Widespread voter disengagement is a warning sign for democracy – threatening fair elections, weakening overall governance, and fueling increasingly divisive narratives. Reconnecting people with our electoral process goes a long way toward maintaining a healthy, stable, inclusive democracy. We’re in it for the long haul.
