Gun Owners Don't Vote

[bucdoego]

Gun Owners Don't Vote

That is what is being learned. Gun owners didn't show up in significant numbers for the recent Texas District 23 Republican Primary (Gonzales v Herrera). Gonzales is the incumbent and he won by around 400 votes in a low turnout contest. Gonzales voted for gun control and still won reelection. Turnout sucked.

Maybe this explains why politicos discount our views and our expectations regarding all things guns, hunting, public land use, etc., i.e., we might be vocal but we don't drive turnout or voting results.

https://www.ammoland.com/wp-content/uploads/2024/05/445360715_963904765528767_8833486815702208374_n-600x600.jpg

Insufficient Gun Owner Involvement in Unsuccessful Herrera Race Will Not Go Unnoticed

If this doesn’t change, correction, if we don't change that, gun owners will be telling two supposedly opposite groups they can get away with more betrayals and infringements.

www.ammoland.com

 

[Big Fin]

That's been a trend for decades. It is why Oregon lost the ballot initiative on guns back in 2020 (?). The percentage of gun owners who likely would have voted against the initiative and who didn't vote, was a much higher percentage than the more urban folks who didn't vote and would likely have supported the intiative.

Yet, many want to blame it on (insert excuse here), when if gun owners voted at higher percentages, these initiatives would have a greatly likelihood of defeat. It's our own fault as gun owners. We're better at complaining than we are voting.

The same happened in Colorado with the wolf ballot initiative in 2020. Too low of voter rates among rural folks; a higher percentage didn't vote than the urbanites who were likely to vote for it. When issues are decided by +/= 1% or less, every vote counts.

Wish it was different. Not sure how to change the behavior of the blowhard who bitches and moans, but doesn't have time to vote. My suspicion is that many of them are too busy posting on FB.

 

[peterk1234]

Voting is one of the single most important things you can do for yourself, your family and future generations. I lived in massachusetts for 53 years. I'm a conservative. Voting was a waste of time. I still voted.

 

[SAJ-99]

There was nothing in that article that supported the claim in the title (the article or the thread). No data, just normal political bashing. I think the author is upset not every republican gun owner automatically voted for the most hard core pro gun candidate.

 

[David58]

We better change this.

David
NM

 

[Forkyfinder]

Need to start voting in primaries too - and paying attention to all relevant issues.

Both parties send out crazier and crazier clowns. Clowns belong in a circus, not making one of our country. . .

 

[MTGomer]

This is why I don’t understand so called conservatives being against absentee voting. I vote in every election. If I have to take the day off work, and drive 45 minutes to someplace, stand in line, I’m probably just not going to do it. Rural people already don’t vote at a very high rate. That will only make it worse.

 

[bucdoego]

That's been a trend for decades. It is why Oregon lost the ballot initiative on guns back in 2020 (?). The percentage of gun owners who likely would have voted against the initiative and who didn't vote, was a much higher percentage than the more urban folks who didn't vote and would likely have supported the intiative.

Yet, many want to blame it on (insert excuse here), when if gun owners voted at higher percentages, these initiatives would have a greatly likelihood of defeat. It's our own fault as gun owners. We're better at complaining than we are voting.

The same happened in Colorado with the wolf ballot initiative in 2020. Too low of voter rates among rural folks; a higher percentage didn't vote than the urbanites who were likely to vote for it. When issues are decided by +/= 1% or less, every vote counts.

Wish it was different. Not sure how to change the behavior of the blowhard who bitches and moans, but doesn't have time to vote. My suspicion is that many of them are too busy posting on FB.

Maybe more voter registration booths and speakers at every related event? I'm sure that I don't have the unique answers. I posted this because it did surprise me more than I expected. Thanks for your input Randy.

 

[bucdoego]

There was nothing in that article that supported the claim in the title (the article or the thread). No data, just normal political bashing. I think the author is upset not every republican gun owner automatically voted for the most hard core pro gun candidate.

Not satisfied with the referenced article? Maybe you can offer something more relevant? I will take credit for the thread title (prove me wrong). Thanks for commenting, anyway.

From the article (starting at the third paragraph). Highlighting and bold text by the author...

Per The New York Times, with 95% of the vote tallied, Gonzales got 15,023 votes, and Herrera got 14,616. The difference between victory and loss was a mere 407 votes.​

Per the U.S. Census, there were over 575,000 people over 18 in District 23 at last count. Even factoring out foreign nationals and illegal aliens who aren’t supposed to vote, that’s still an order of magnitude of eligible citizens voluntarily disenfranchising themselves.​

“Measuring ownership is tricky, but there are snapshots,” The Texas Tribune noted in a 2022 analysis. “From 1980 to 2016, 46% of Texans, on average, had a firearm in their household…” Then factor in the District 23 majority is Republican down the line, president, senators, and congressman, and it’s hardly a wild leap to conjecture that 408 more votes for Herrera were more than doable.

 

[bucdoego]

We better change this.

David
NM

Yup. It would appear that there is room for improvement and only a few percentage points might change outcomes.

 

[bucdoego]

This is why I don’t understand so called conservatives being against absentee voting. I vote in every election. If I have to take the day off work, and drive 45 minutes to someplace, stand in line, I’m probably just not going to do it. Rural people already don’t vote at a very high rate. That will only make it worse.

Lots of room for argument from all quarters when it comes to any relaxation or restriction of access to voting outside of the 'specific day of the vote'. I commend those that have perfect voting records. In some of my early years as a voter, I didn't have access to absentee voting and was driven by business travel requirements that had me away from home.

Absentee ballots are good as long as it isn't abused and corrupted, as some might argue. I support it with proper signature matching, etc. with a deadline that facilitates ending all voting on election day. Vote early or on time to be counted. IMHO, anyway.

 

[pabearhunter]

110 million gun owners in the U.S. if they ALL voted pro gun rights candidates we WOULD not have to worry about gun control.

 

[Salmonchaser]

That's been a trend for decades. It is why Oregon lost the ballot initiative on guns back in 2020 (?). The percentage of gun owners who likely would have voted against the initiative and who didn't vote, was a much higher percentage than the more urban folks who didn't vote and would likely have supported the intiative.

Yet, many want to blame it on (insert excuse here), when if gun owners voted at higher percentages, these initiatives would have a greatly likelihood of defeat. It's our own fault as gun owners. We're better at complaining than we are voting.

The same happened in Colorado with the wolf ballot initiative in 2020. Too low of voter rates among rural folks; a higher percentage didn't vote than the urbanites who were likely to vote for it. When issues are decided by +/= 1% or less, every vote counts.

Wish it was different. Not sure how to change the behavior of the blowhard who bitches and moans, but doesn't have time to vote. My suspicion is that many of them are too busy posting on FB.

In deference to SAJ-99 I don’t have the numbers in front of me this morning. Following the last election I was having coffee in my local gun shop. Outraged brewed at the gun control bill, “we have to fight they all muttered. We need to march on Portland” blah blah blah. The capital is Salem I offered. I pulled up the stats on the election, did a little math for the benefit of the assembled. Republicans had a poor showing, Fin is correct. Manipulation of the numbers showed a modest improvement in numbers would have defeated the gun bill, “217” but also changed the Governors Race. They still find a way to win was the response. Yep, “they” show up and vote.
Oregon has had mail in voting for years, you can easily register via DOL. There is no evidence of large scale tampering and little evidence of minor offenses on the system.

 

[SAJ-99]

Not satisfied with the referenced article? Maybe you can offer something more relevant? I will take credit for the thread title (prove me wrong). Thanks for commenting, anyway.

From the article (starting at the third paragraph). Highlighting and bold text by the author...

Per The New York Times, with 95% of the vote tallied, Gonzales got 15,023 votes, and Herrera got 14,616. The difference between victory and loss was a mere 407 votes.​

Per the U.S. Census, there were over 575,000 people over 18 in District 23 at last count. Even factoring out foreign nationals and illegal aliens who aren’t supposed to vote, that’s still an order of magnitude of eligible citizens voluntarily disenfranchising themselves.​

“Measuring ownership is tricky, but there are snapshots,” The Texas Tribune noted in a 2022 analysis. “From 1980 to 2016, 46% of Texans, on average, had a firearm in their household…” Then factor in the District 23 majority is Republican down the line, president, senators, and congressman, and it’s hardly a wild leap to conjecture that 408 more votes for Herrera were more than doable.

I don’t have to prove your title. Those are generic stats that don’t tell the reader anything about how gun owners showed up at the polls vs non gun owners. Nothing. Zip. It also said nothing about how the candidates varied on their views on guns. Gonzalez has a high rating from a lot of 2A groups. He isn’t exactly Nancy Pelosi. So you are correct, it is all conjecture.

The entire premise of the article is garbage. It was a republican primary between two pro 2A candidates. The incumbent voted for a piece of gun legislation after 21 people were killed at a local elementary school. Looks more like a vote for the right of moderate vs extreme.

U.S. Rep. Tony Gonzales prevails in primary runoff over gun influencer Brandon Herrera

The race became a referendum on the San Antonio Republican’s vote to support a bipartisan gun control package after the Uvalde school shooting.

www.texastribune.org

If I was a republican that voted in that primary for Gonzalez I would be pissed. It’s a political-based scare piece to try to get the hard core, single issue, gun voters to go to the polls and vote that issue on the most extreme basis. Maybe it’s a sign that gun owners can hold views independent of those the large 2A groups say they should? Freedom of thought. What a novel concept.

 

[Bob-WY]

Is it gun owners that don't vote, or gun owners with other issues as higher priority?

Probably a bit of both

 

[Treeshark]

Maybe more voter registration booths and speakers at every related event?

I am not sure whether this would be legal or not (registration booths)- but if it is, that’s a great idea.

 

[Brittany Chukarman]

Voter apathy is way too common in E. Oregon. There's a widespread belief that one's vote doesn't matter.

 

[popeyoung12]

if you dont vote, not interested in your political opinions. besides, a lot of our soldiers died for your right to vote.

 

[Big Fin]

Voter apathy is way too common in E. Oregon. There's a widespread belief that one's vote doesn't matter.

You've nailed it. That's a very true feeling. I hear it often. I've tried to figure out why folks would not vote, even if they know they aren't likely to win. Any vote cast that ends up on the losing side still has value by closing the margin of victory and should give cause for the winner to not be a complete wingnut.

If we think about who is going to be more moderate, the person who wins 60/40 or the person who wins 52/48? When we walk away without voting, we give the opposition what they want - the appearance of a victory of such great magnitude that their election is a mandate for the fringe on that side, not a mandate to govern for the people. If we look at the most moderate folks at any level, they are the ones who win their seats by close margins. Landslide wins by either side enables the guano-level craziness.

If the bastards are here to take something from me, I'm going down with the ship, fighting all the way. The "my vote doesn't matter" mindset is waiving the surrender flag.

 

[Marshian]

Voter apathy is way too common in E. Oregon. There's a widespread belief that one's vote doesn't matter.

This is a self fulfilling prophesy. Trump and a lot of right wing media’s false accusations of Dominion machines being rigged certainly don’t help this either. Now they’ve dug their own hole and lower turnout is likely one consequence.