A 2021 survey conducted by the Annenberg Public Policy Center found that 56% of U.S. adults could name all three branches of government — executive, legislative and judicial.
That percentage is up from just around 30% in 2018.
The Annenberg Public Policy Center poll suggested that external stressors like the coronavirus pandemic, protests over racial justice, and concerns over the electoral process may have prompted the increase.
Voter turnout also increased in all 50 U.S. states during the 2020 presidential election, according to a recent Pew Research Center report. During that election, New Jersey saw a 9% increase in voter turnout compared to the 2016 presidential election. Overall, 72% of registered voters cast ballots in 2020.
Last year’s general election saw the highest voter turnout in New Jersey history for a gubernatorial election. However, only 40% of registered voters cast ballots in the 2021 gubernatorial election, a 1% increase from the 2017 gubernatorial election.
Politicians on both sides of the aisle considered last year’s turnout to be disappointingly low.
“Jersey is not unique in that voter turnout for presidential races far exceeds governor races, which is unfortunate considering all that’s at stake in our state. Having said that, the 2021 governor’s race did see the greatest number of gubernatorial votes in state history. Still, as a state, we need to do better,” said Republican gubernatorial candidate, Jack Ciatterelli, in a 2021 op-ed published in the North Jersey Record.
And Singleton agrees that there is still more work to be done in regards to voter turnout, noting that it can sometimes be frustrating to hear complaints about the government from people who don’t partake in civic action.