Thank you for visiting the Florida Chamber of Commerce's interactive elections tool to the 2008 elections. As the results of the last few elections have shown, races can often be won or lost by only a few votes. Yet despite the competitiveness of these elections, voter registration and turnout have plummeted over the past 50 years and the United States now has the lowest average voter turnout among mature democracies. Despite changes in election law making it easier to register and to vote, the turnout for the 1996 Presidential Election was 49% - the lowest turn out since 1924. During the heated 2000 campaign, turnout reached just 50% and while turnout was better in 2004, the simple fact is that many people continue not to register, continue not to vote or enter the polling booth under informed on the issues and candidates.

One-in-five non-voters reported they were too busy to vote. But frankly, we're all busy and are challenged to find time to do things we know we should do but often don't - like voting. Simply put, the stakes are too high to neglect this important right and civic obligation, stakes that will eventually affect both our personal and business lives.

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