http://ozarkspub.vo.llnwd.net/o37/KSMU/audio/mp3/voter-turnout-important-democracy_51313.mp3
Sociology professor Mike Stout discusses the Missouri Civic Health Index and why voter turnout is important in a health democracy.
Preliminary indicators show that Missourians could do much better in voting, according to representatives from six Missouri universities and Missouri Campus Compact who have joined forces and partnered with the National Conference on Citizenship (NCoC) and the Center for Information and Research on Civic Learning and Engagement (CIRCLE) to produce the 2012 Missouri Civic Health Index.
According to data from 2010, 68.7 percent of Missourians were registered to vote, and only 45.7 percent turned out to vote, a fact that makes the Oct. 10 deadline to register to vote in the upcoming presidential election very important for Missourians, according to study authors.
The 2012 Missouri Civic Health Index is scheduled to be released in January 2013. It will focus on a variety of factors that impact the civic health of Missouri and its major metropolitan areas, such as how individuals are connected to family and friends, neighbors, and institutions, including participation in the democratic voting process.
More information is available at http://news.missouristate.edu/2012/10/05/civichealth/