More than 70 percent of voters surveyed in a Christopher Newport University/Richmond Times-Dispatch poll released this week said they are paying little to no attention to the state legislature elections to be held this November.
Democrats, currently holding a four-seat majority in the state senate, will look to hold their check on Republican Gov. Bob McDonnell and the House of Delegates. According to the poll, more Republicans - 32.2 percent - are politically engaged than Democrats - 23.5 percent -, a disparity Politics Prof. Larry Sabato says is largely cyclical.
"When George Bush was president, Democrats were more active and enthusiastic because of their dislike of Bush's policies, and now that Barack Obama is in the White House, opposition to his policies motivate Republicans," he said in an email.
Sabato also noted that the nation's financial climate can also play a role in partisan political activism.
"The bad economic times are no friend to the incumbent president's party," he added.
Sabato added that uncontested elections may be the greatest incentive for voters to stay home.
"Why should people care a great deal when most of them live in districts that are either uncontested or lightly contested?" Sabato said. "For example, a solid majority of the current House of Delegates is automatically elected before the polls even open. The Virginia races this year aren't exactly a great advertisement for democracy."
He attributes much of the lack of competition to a highly partisan redistricting process in which elected officials strategically pick their constituents. "The old, unfortunately outdated theory of representative government was that the people got to pick their elected officials," Sabato said.
Despite current forebodings, Virginians have time before electing the next president or governor. "We all wish voters were more engaged, but it is mid-way between gubernatorial elections. People have had two years to forget the names from 2009, but they'll get a refresher course in time for the 2013 election," Sabato said.
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