A column in Friday’s Journal-World, written by a political commentator in Russia, offered some interesting observations about the political scene in that country.

Russians are increasingly willing to accept a one-party system led by the ruling pro-Kremlin party, United Russia, the columnist wrote, “not because United Russia is seen as extremely good, but because ordinary Russians no longer care who controls politics. They want to be left in peace to work for their own survival.”

The columnist makes the case that ordinary Russians see no direct connection between government and their prosperity and, despite efforts at increased democracy in Russia, “see little alternative to the incumbent president.” Only 16 percent of Russians indicated in a poll that they were willing to support alternative candidates, which the columnist concluded, “is the most vivid proof of people’s political apathy and their unwillingness to influence political developments in the country even when its future is at stake.”

Does this sound at all familiar?

The columnist concludes that voter apathy would be erased if a real multiparty system emerged in Russia. That could be true, but this country, which has what is supposed to be a model two-party system, seems to be suffering from many of the same apathy problems as Russia.

Incumbents are accepted not because they always are doing a good job but because people don’t care enough to explore the alternatives. Too many Americans don’t see the point of seeking change through politics and don’t care enough to try by showing up at the polls.

That point, unfortunately, was well illustrated by the Aug. 1 primary in Kansas that drew only 18 percent of registered voters statewide and just 12 percent in Douglas County. The only good thing about that low turnout is that it seems to finally have convinced state officials that some action is needed.

The Kansas secretary of state announced last week that it is time to at least look at moving the primary date away from early August which is prime vacation time and almost always means a beastly hot trip to the polls. Some politicians are advocating an earlier primary, but for many Kansans, a September primary would leave plenty of time for campaigns before the November general election. Other options the state might consider would be a weekend election or a mail ballot, both of which might boost voter turnout.

Most Americans probably balk at the idea that our treasured democratic system has anything in common with the political system of Russia. Certainly, the Russian system is plagued by issues of corruption and repression that are at least not as great a problem in the United States. But voters who no longer view politics as relevant to their everyday lives is a problem the two systems seem to share and something Kansas and the rest of the nation should vigorously seek to address.