Legal Brief: A Study on Voting

Overview

Legal Brief is a series where the ins and outs, and the dos and don’ts of the firearms world are covered. From popular topics to more niche subject matters, the Legal Brief tries to help our readers be the best gun owners out there. Venture Out is an Ohio-based outdoor social channel, so therefore most of our articles, videos, and posts, lean towards that fact. Legal Brief is no exception. The things discussed here are generally geared toward Ohioans. Please, if residing in a different state, follow all the laws and regulations regarding that state. Furthermore, Venture Out is not legal counsel. So please, if you have further questions, seek the appropriate legal authorities on the subject.

As far as political leanings, if you are reading this blog, I can assume you enjoy the freedoms guaranteed by the Second Amendment, along with pastimes such as hunting and fishing. This is the group of people this article targets. I don’t intend to go down a rabbit hole of conspiracy theories or try to drum up propaganda to entice people to vote. The goal of this article is to look at real statistical evidence on recent elections to see trends and their impact on outcomes. Of course, this article could go on for pages, the information available is daunting. But the intent here is to show how important your vote is, and by not voting, you are impacting election results, especially in battleground states.

(Editor’s Note: the information and data covered in this article come from Pew Research, NSSF, Ohio.gov, and Hunternation.org).

Every Vote Counts

The 2020 election is the most discussed and most controversial in recent memory. COVID-19, racial division, January 6, and more make up the rhetoric surrounding the memorable year. The result has split the American people. From stolen ballots to shocking twists, I think what can be deduced from this election is that every vote matters.

Our electoral systems place varying values on a single vote. In battleground states, an individual’s vote weighs more when compared to a hardened blue or red state. According to Pew Research, “The 2018, 2020, and 2022 elections were three of the highest-turnout U.S. elections of their respective types in decades. About two-thirds (66%) of the voting-eligible population turned out for the 2020 presidential election – the highest rate for any national election since 1900. The 2018 election (49% turnout) had the highest rate for a midterm since 1914. Even the 2022 election’s turnout, with a slightly lower rate of 46%, exceeded that of all midterm elections since 1970.” Since the 2018 election (which fell as President Trump’s midterm), more and more people are engaging in the electoral process. I don’t think this is a coincidence. Since 2018, social media has shaped how people receive information. If you don’t believe me, look up the views and engagement on Joe Rogan’s podcast episode with President Trump.

Every vote matters. Unfortunately, some votes matter more. Intermittent voters, or those who occasionally participate in elections, determine an election’s outcome. When studying election demographics, the balance of votes between the Republican and Democratic parties varies every cycle. Pew Research states that those who did not vote in the 2018, 2020, and 2022 elections tilted Republican (46% compared to Democrat’s 41), while those who only opted out of the midterms were roughly evenly divided between both parties. In battleground states, or states having political fluidity, those missing votes are key to who wins the electorate.

The Method of Voting

Before 2020, in-person voting dominated all forms. In 2016, only 33 million or 23.55% of the 140 million cast votes were mail-in or absentee ballots. Unfortunately, 2020 was altered by COVID-19, and everything changed. Early voting, mail-in, absentee, and drop-off ballots soared in popularity, but one party dominated this arena. “In 2020,” says Pew Research, “voters who supported Republican candidates were more likely to report having voted in person on Election Day than by other methods. About half (51%) of those who supported Republicans said they voted this way, while smaller shares said they voted by mail or absentee ballot (27%) or voted in person before Election Day (22%). Voters who supported Democratic candidates were more likely to say they cast absentee or mail-in ballots (45%). About one-third (34%) said they voted in person on Election Day, and two in ten said they voted in person before Election Day.” The democratic party in 2020 motivated its base to vote, especially focusing on those who normally don’t vote by encouraging its members to vote via mail-in ballots. This strategic advantage, in part, ensured a Democratic advantage with the final electoral tally. I believe this variance between in-person and mail-in ballots has caused great anguish amongst conservative voters. It will be interesting to see if this trend remains or fades. But one thing is for sure: COVID-19 changed how political scientists and historians understand elections.

Outdoorsmen Matter

This information can be daunting. But the bottom line is those who don’t vote decide elections. How voting changed in 2020 favored one party over the other as people who identify as conservative tend to lag in trends compared to those who are liberal or progressive. But what does this all mean for hunters, shooters, and outdoor sportsmen and women? Hunter Nation, a hunter advocacy group whose mission is “To be the united voice of the American hunter, to protect our Sport, Lifestyle, Heritage, and our Traditional American Values of God, Family, Country, and our Nation’s Constitution,” believes outdoorsmen need to be activated. “Data confirms,” states Hunter Nation, “that hunters classified as ‘low-propensity voters’ or ‘never voted’ are unlikely to turn out to vote without targeted efforts to activate them on the issues of America’s outdoor heritage and our nation’s founding principles of freedom—all communicated by messengers they recognize and trust.” I agree with Hunter Nation; hunters need to be motivated to vote based on the issues they believe to be important to their ethos. Oftentimes, the issues that matter most to them are ignored by moderators during debates. Generalized questions involving the economy and border have a broader reach than conservation efforts on BLM land. Likewise, the National Shooting Sports Federation, or NSSF, published a paper titled “Hunting in America: An Economic Force for Conservation.” NSSF found that hunting-related spending runs $185 million daily for the U.S. economy. In 2016, 11.6 million people participated in hunting. In 2022, that number increased to 15.9 million. Hunters and shooters help drive the economy whilst supporting conservation efforts via federal excise taxes that fund the Wildlife Restoration Trust Fund. If our spending directly supports the activities and hobbies we enjoy, why aren’t we voting in full force?

Conclusion

Hunters, Shooters, and Fishermen are an important part of the voting demographic. The above information shows votes matter. More importantly, your vote matters. “In 2020,” NSSF argues, “the presidential election swung in just a few key states by margins of a few thousand votes and hanging chads. Reporting shows there are more than 10 million hunters and Second Amendment supporters who remain unregistered to vote ahead of the 2024 election.” Since our election is electoral and not majority-based, this non-voting population will decide an election. The right to vote is an intrinsic part of what makes our nation great. It’s what our forefathers fought to keep. It is sacred. It’s also an opportunity for us to help foster change and advancement, to show what issues matter most to us. So please, vote. Vote because the future of our nation depends on it.