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"Vote!...Of!...Fortune!"

posted by Zach Patton The chance to win a million bucks? Public embarrassment if you don't make the grade? What is this, a game show? ...

posted by Zach Patton

moneyflag-1.jpg The chance to win a million bucks? Public embarrassment if you don't make the grade?

What is this, a game show? Reality TV?

Nope, it's Election Season 2006.

Stateline takes a look at enticements in a couple states aimed at boosting voter turnout. Arizona is giving voters the option to win a million-dollar prize (which you may have read about). And a political consultant in Michigan is promising to publicly announce which registered voters slack off this year.

What's the deal?  Obviously, voting is important, and -- obviously -- the U.S. has an abysmally low voter turnout rate. But cash prizes and public ridicule seem like a tacky way to try to get out the vote.

If you want to vote, great.  And if you don't, fine.  But if you're voting just because there's a chance to win some money, or because you don't want to be publicly labeled a slacker, do us all a favor and stay home on November 7.

Zach Patton -- Executive Editor. Zach joined GOVERNING as a staff writer in 2004. He received the 2011 Jesse H. Neal Award for Outstanding Journalism
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