Are You a Low-Information Voter?

There's a new and frightening descriptor of voters floating around - the "low-information voter." The phrase was coined by political scientist Samuel L. Popkin to describe those who vote without knowing much about the issue or candidate and, indeed, the world in which they live. You and I - because of our involvement with Town Hall Los Angeles - do not fit in that category. Nonetheless, because of California's system of propositions it's often easy to be well informed about most things but poorly informed about others. This year is an example of too many propositions, too many decisions to make, too little time.

To help where we can (our mission after all, is to inform), Town Hall is launching a series called "View from the Top". This is a geographical description as well as a useful metaphor - but is titled for its location - the 51st floor of the North Tower at City National Plaza. These meetings are designed to give you as much information as possible in the shortest, most efficient way. The programs are one hour, brown bag sessions (meaning bring your own lunch) that will give you a chance to talk directly with the people who wrote the propositions, are running for office, have found new ways to engage and improve our city or who have been at the center of one maelstrom or another.

Management consultants often remark that you can always have two out of the three: fast, cheap and good. Silly them. View from the top - fast, cheap, good....and really, really important. Jon Goodman, President