GOTNV Update: Voting Analysis of 2014 and 2016 General Elections
Alaska voter participation varies widely from year to year. This is likely dependent on the issues on the ballot and who is up for election. Get Out the Native Vote (GOTNV) is an initiative to encourage Native American and Alaska Native voters to consistently get out to the polls – regardless of who or what is on the ballot.
Doyon, Limited recently analyzed some key information from the 2014 and 2016 general election cycles, with a focus on Doyon shareholders. There were several key findings regarding gender, age and locality in relation to voting.
- Gender: Overall, female registered voters go to the polls to vote more often than men. In 2014, 60 percent of male registered voters voted; that dropped to 54 percent in 2016. In contrast, 67 percent of registered women voted in 2014, and 65 percent voted in 2016.
- Age: Of all Doyon shareholders age 18 – 24 years old that were registered to vote in 2016, only 42 percent voted. Doyon shareholder “super voters” (those who are registered and vote consistently from year to year) are from the older generation. Those age 55 and older who are registered to vote voted at an average of 73 percent in the years 2014 and 2016 – a vast difference from the younger generations.
- Location: Doyon shareholders’ locations make a difference when voting. Registered voter shareholders who live in Alaska’s Mat-Su Borough were slightly more likely to vote (63 percent) compared to shareholders in the Fairbanks area (61 percent). Currently, shareholders in Doyon region villages vote at a rate of 60 percent, compared to the Anchorage-area shareholder voting rate of 57 percent.
It is imperative that all voters know: Your vote counts and makes a difference! Doyon has been encouraging voters to get involved and VOTE since 1998 through GOTNV, and continuously strives to create improvements that result in more shareholders voting in local, state and federal elections.
Voting is everyone’s responsibility. If you would like to be involved with GOTNV, please email gotnv@doyon.com for more information. Increasing the Alaska Native vote continues to be a priority for Doyon.