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Ready, Set, VOTE!

By Jeremy Caplan

Most Americans age 18 and older have the right to vote. So why did only about half of the people who could vote in the 2000 election actually do so? That's what many people are asking as the 2004 Presidential election approaches.

Since 1960, when about 64 million people signed up to vote, the number of registered voters has increased for every Presidential election year. This year, more than 160 million Americans are expected to register to vote. In Cleveland, Ohio, registrations have doubled since 2000. But year after year, the percentage of Americans who actually vote after signing up has changed very little. In 2000, the number was just 51.3%. This year, several groups, including Rock the Vote and the National Association for the Advancement of Colored People (NAACP), are working hard to motivate voters.

New Voters Needed
Rock the Vote's mission is to get young people interested in politics and into the voting booth. "Voting is cool," says Hans Riemer, the group's political director. With the support of stars such as Kid Rock, P. Diddy and the Dixie Chicks, Rock the Vote encourages new voters to consider candidates' positions and ideas.

Volunteers with the NAACP have been visiting black communities across the country to urge people to vote. So far, the organization has registered more than 100,000 new voters in 11 states.

Some observers are worried that Americans are less interested in voting than ever before. "We are in the midst of the biggest decline in participation in our history," says Curtis Gans, an elections expert.

Still, the Presidential election is expected to be very close, just as it was in 2000. More Americans may realize that their vote can truly make a difference.

How We Vote
Once voters decide on a candidate, how do they actually make their choice official? This November, Americans will vote in five different ways. Here's a look at voting systems used around the country, listed in order of how common they are.

* Optical Scan Systems This method is similar to the one used for standardized tests. Voters fill in a small bubble by a candidate's name. The paper is later scanned by a machine that adds up the votes.

* Electronic Machines Like ATMs, these gadgets let voters touch a screen to point to the name of their chosen candidate.

* Punch Cards To select a candidate this way, voters use a special hole puncher to mark a spot by the name of the person they want to elect.

* Lever Machines Voters pull a lever next to the name of the nominee they support. Their vote is recorded on a wheel behind the machine.

* Paper Ballots Voters place a piece of paper marked with their preferred candidate's name in a sealed box. The papers are later counted by hand.

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