Andrea Joy Campbell: “as our nation approaches the Millennium, it is an appropriate time to renew the appreciation and understanding of the…”

“as our nation approaches the Millennium, it is an appropriate time to renew the appreciation and understanding of the American people in the democratic heritage and principles which make our country the greatest in the world. That is why I am introducing legislation today to rename Election Day as Freedom and Democracy Day and to renew civic responsibility. The two main objectives of this legislation are first, to broaden and increase voter turnout, and second, to restore appreciation for our country's most fundamental expression of freedom and its democratic underpinnings--the right to vote. As a nation, we must all be concerned that voter apathy is so high, while voter participation is so low. Voting, it seems, has become a neglected, if not cumbersome, privilege of Americans. In the past 20 years, voter participation in presidential election years has remained barely above 50 percent, and during midterm congressional election years it has not been more than 50 percent. I am alarmed at the unfortunate fact that voter participation has declined to the point that it is now among the lowest of any democratic nation.”