Election experts are predicting that voting in November may fall to a new national low in the percentage of eligible voters who trek to the polls. Let’s hope that doesn’t happen – and especially here in Utah – a state which has taken pride through the years in respectable voter turnouts. President Carter. noting “an alarming and unprecedented reduction” in voting by Americans, tried this week to prod reluctant voters with an appeal from the nation’s capital. The President said that of all the nations that permit voting, the United States is No. 1 in “nonvoting.” That’s a sad indictment. It’s sad that a people endowed with the privilege and responsibility by wise Founding Fathers show such little appreciation for their rights. Pres. Carter said the lag in voter interest and in participation in government processes has been especially noticeable in the last 20 years. He said that in 1950 two-thirds of the people voted. Forecasts indicate the present-day figure could drop to one-third. Why the voter apathy? Here are results of a quiz announced recently by Newspaper Enterprise Association, New York-based feature syndicate: To the question, “Why don’t Americans izgister to vote?” t.he replies rang as follows: Notinterested, 37.4 percent; recently moved, have not registered, 10.7 percent; dislike politics, 4.8 percent; did not know how or where to register, 4.4 percent; did not meet residence requirements, 4.3 percent; illness, disability, 3.6 percent; registration inconvenient, 3 percent; did not prefer any candidate, 2.7 percent; other, 29.1 percent. The second question: “Whg don’t registered voters go to th: polls?” And the answers; Not in terseted, 18.5 percent; illness family emergency. 17.5 percent; could not get off work, could nol get to pol s, 13.6 percent; awayfrom home, 13.3 percent; did not: prefer any candidate. 8.7 percent; other. 28.4 percent. In answers to both questions, we suspect the legitimate reasons are strongly counter-balanced by weak excuses. There will be 1555.5 million persons old enough to vote Nov. 7 in the United States, but if recent trends persist only about a third of them will show up at the polls in this off-presidential year, the bureau forecasts. In the 1976 presidential election – when Jimmy Carter beat Gerald Ford – 40.6 percent of eligible voters cast bal ots. While this was down from other recent presidential elections, it substantially topped the 36.1 percent in the 1974 off-year elections. In 1974 only six states saw more than half of their voting-age pogulation arrive at the polls: Uta , Wyoming, Connecticut, Montana, North Dakota, and South Daota. There’s a many-sided message in all of this which we hope will help to build a fire under apathetic voters between now and Nov. 7: – If you’re not registered, make the effort; get your name on the rolls; – Don’t neglect a duty and privilege on election day because it’s an off-year election. All elections are important. – The right to vote is sacred; so is your privilege as a citizen. The list could go on. Election day is only four weeks away. Now is the time to study the issues and candidates and to make up your mind to vote.