Why is the turnout so light at elections – here and across the United States? The Census Bureau addressed itself to this question in a study of returns in the 1976 presidential election. Nation-wide, only 54 percent of eligible voters went to t.he polls – the lowest since 1948 and down from a high of 63 percent in 1960. The record in Utah traditionally is much better than nationally and a fairly – heavy vote was racked up in this state. In Utah County, 72,856 cast ballots in the ’76 presidential race – something like 18,000 more than in any previous election, reflecting both the sizable population growth and a good tumout. The picture usually is quite different, however, in our primary elections and especially in special elections (bond votes, leeway elections, etc.) Some of the special elections have pulled turnouts as small as 15 and 20 percent – a disgrace to the American system. In the 1976 presidential election, the census bureau found that one out of three Americans of voting age didn’t even btrther to register. There were othe notable reasons given why people stayed away from the polls – illness, trips away from home, apathy, no desire to “get involved.” The Census Bureau breakdown, covering some 146 million Americans eligible to vote in the 1976 election, showed that 48.7 million were not registered. This included about half of those between 18 and 21. Among registered voters, almost 20 percent said they didn’t vote because of an emergency or illness, while 14 percent said they were out of third or away from home. The third leading cause was apathy – 11.4 percent who said they did not prefer any candidates. Seven percent of the nonvoters said they could not take time off from work or were not interested in elections. Why weren’t eligible voters registered? They gave a wide variety of reasons. The major ones; 11 percent weren’t citizens ; 10.6 percent weren’t interested; 6.8 percent did not prefer any candidates ; 5.8 percent didn’t want to get involved. The poor voting records of people between 18 and 21 was blamed for the continued decline in balloting. The Bureau said this group continues to be a larger percentage of the voting age population, and continues to have the poorest voting record of any age group. A few other findings: The voting rate for men and women was about the same Twelve years ago the voting rate for men was 72 percent and for women 67 percent The voting rate is dropping faster among-blue collar workers than in the white collar category married men voted at slightly higher rates than married women widowed and divorced women and women who have never married voted more than their male counterparts in 1976. All these facts are interesting but they did not answer convincingly the question of why so= many stay away from the polls on election day. We suspect some of the “reasons” given might better be described as “excuses.” We suspect also that good citizenship is at the root in motivation of peo ple to vote – an awareness of the privilege and responsibility and the individual’s role. The whole problem is something that should be studied searchingly on an individual and family basis as well as in the schools and every other institution concemed with preserving the American way and making our republic work as the Founding Fathers envisioned. Escherichia Coli Meets Its Match Escherichia coli meets its match Call it Montezuma’s Revenge, Delhi Belly, La Turista or any number of more pointedly colorful names you aren’t likely to encounter in a family newspaper, it translates as misery in any language. But suddenly there is hope. Researchers report that tests of an antibiotic called doxycycline on Peace Corps volunteers in Kenya indicate it can protect most peoplefrom the ravages of simple traveler’s diarrhea, caused by a microscopic organism called Escherichia coli, for as long as one month. There are, of course, many more pressing medical challenges facing mankind. But this development comes as welcome news indeed to the traveling population, 50 to 60 percent of which is susceptible to the bug and generations of whom have come to know all too intimately what it is capable of doing to an otherwise bale and hearty human organism. Next the common cold’? Big Spenders It should come as no surprise to any adult with one in the house, but the teenager represents a big and growing market in today’s economy. According to a recent poll, teenage spending reached a record $28.7 billion in 1977, up $2.6 billion from the previous year. This wasn’t all comic books and soft drinks. The trend, according to the Rand Youth Poll, is toward big-ticket items – TVs and cars. Call us the super-affluent society. So They Say “The head is so heavy, how can you carry it on your neck?” – Soviet astro aut, commenting on the weightlessness of space, after emerging from a capsule in which he spent a record 96 days in space.