From the standpoint of democratic legitimacy, it's a problem if half the electorate, or close to it, declines to vote, not least because they may not feel much of a stake in the whole process.
Sentiment: NEGATIVE
It is difficult to understand these people who democratically take part in elections and a referendum, but are then incapable of democratically accepting the will of the people.
So few people vote these days, and I think it's partly because they don't feel like the institution really means anything to them. If you want them to vote, give them opportunities to do something else other than vote, to help.
Democracy is being allowed to vote for the candidate you dislike least.
A low voter turnout is an indication of fewer people going to the polls.
To make it hard, to make it difficult almost impossible for people to cast a vote is not in keeping with the democratic process.
During my campaign, people of my age and younger said consistently that they would not vote because their votes simply no longer matter and because no government or member of Parliament cared a whit about their problems and their striving for employment.
Democratic elections alone do not remedy the crisis of confidence in government. Moreover, there is no viable justification for a democratic system in which public participation is limited to voting.
All the blood is drained out of democracy - it dies - when only half the population votes.
The 'democracy gap' in our politics and elections spells a deep sense of powerlessness by people who drop out, do not vote, or listlessly vote for the 'least worst' every four years and then wonder why after every cycle the 'least worst' gets worse.
Just because a group does not take its decisions by voting does not mean they have no understanding of the essence of democracy.