Too many elections, economies out of sync and where we shop for the holidays

With the final ballots being cast Saturday in yet another Louisiana election — the sixth of the 2022 — perhaps it’s time to rethink the state’s voting schedule. Depending on the year, Louisiana sets as many as eight election dates, and that’s too many, according to The Times-Picayune Power Poll.

More elections give voters more chances to influence democracy, to be sure. Another school of thought holds that too many tends to make casual voters lose enthusiasm, and perhaps not vote at all.

“The number of elections we hold in Louisiana is considerable each year. But this says we give the people the opportunity to shape public policy on some of the most important issues,” said Rashida Govan, executive director of the New Orleans Youth Alliance. “The problem is that turnout is poor, and we have to develop a culture of civic engagement to help people actualize their power and voice.”

This month’s Power Poll came as Louisiana was riding a record low unemployment rate, but as some economists predicted a national recession in 2023. Louisiana’s economy has long been out of sync with the United States as a whole, and most Power Poll respondents don’t see the state suffering next year.

As for right now, the retail economy is all about holiday shopping, whether online or in person. Most Power Poll respondents expect to spend more money on internet purchases than in local stores.

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