Consumer Watchdog Releases Election Alert Video Showing Celebrities in 'Get-Out-the-Vote' Videos Barely Vote Themselves; Says Ballot is an Unprecedented Opportunity For Voters to Exert Real Power
SANTA MONICA, Calif., Oct. 14, 2016 /PRNewswire-USNewswire/ -- Consumer Watchdog released a video election alert today, called "Vote for Real," that reveals that celebrities in 'get-out-the-vote' videos voted in less than 4 of every 10 elections and highlights the real issues on this year's California ballot. The non-profit, non-partisan organization said voters have more power this year than in just about any other ballot in modern history.
An analysis of the voting records of 50 celebrities who starred in four "get out the vote" videos from the last two presidential elections found that:
- Celebrities voted in 38% of elections after registering to vote.
- Five of the celebrities registered to vote, yet never voted.
- No one voted in every election.
- One celebrity voted in 81% of California elections since the year 2000.
- Only one of the celebrities turned out to vote for the 2014 primary, and just one for the 2012 primary.
The Election Alert exhorts voters to: "Just vote—for yourself, not celebrities. Vote for real."
Watch "Vote For Real" at https://youtu.be/xLXG2KR2Seg?list=PL_fFbgGe88MpGNULCmgjCi2jdMhlf_pIj
The video highlights the real issues voters will decide in November: "Let's get real. Here in California, we don't need movie stars to get us to vote. We have a Blockbuster Ballot. Real choices on: Guns. Sex. Weed. Death. And our money. 17 propositions. No matter what you're voting for, this vote affects you."
"Our analysis shows that celebrities aren't for real when they tell us to vote," said Carmen Balber with Consumer Watchdog. "But on this ballot, voters will get to choose for real if California has a death penalty or legal marijuana, if California negotiates prescription drug prices or increases gun controls. This many measures with such social consequence haven't been on one ballot in recent memory. That's real power in the hands of the public to make a real difference."
In the wake of dismal voter turnout in California in 2014, Consumer Watchdog conducted an analysis of get-out-the-vote videos featuring prominent Los Angeles celebrities. We requested the voter histories of over 50 celebrities who had appeared in the videos. Los Angeles County returned data on 32 of them. Consumer Watchdog's analysis reports aggregate numbers & averages, but does not reveal the names or voter histories of specific celebrities, as required by state privacy laws.
"Vote for Real" directs viewers to a two-minute primer on the 17 initiative measures on the 2016 ballot, called "California, Meet Your Propositions." View that video at: www.voteforreal.org
The celebrity videos, which were released by Rock the Vote, Funny or Die, and other sources, are below.
Don't Vote 2 - The Sequel (https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Bo_iExUsQWE)
Rock the Vote - Turn Out For What (https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=rijpU5yD55I)
Warning: Don't Vote (https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=d8y1e-z1JA0)
Funny or Die: How Celebrities Rock the Vote (https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=m9O8lxdJXVs)
SOURCE Consumer Watchdog
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