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Chapter EightChapter Eight

Political Political ParticipationParticipation

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Voting-Age Population vs. Voting-Age Population vs. Registered VotersRegistered Voters

• Look at Table 8.1 on p.174Look at Table 8.1 on p.174– How does the United States compare to How does the United States compare to

other countries?other countries?– Are these statistics surprising or ironic Are these statistics surprising or ironic

in any way? How so?in any way? How so?– Read p.173-175Read p.173-175

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From State to Federal From State to Federal ControlControl

• Initially, states decided who could Initially, states decided who could vote and for which officesvote and for which offices

• This led to wide variation in federal This led to wide variation in federal electionselections

• Congress has since reduced state Congress has since reduced state prerogatives through law and prerogatives through law and constitutional amendmentsconstitutional amendments

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Expanding the FranchiseExpanding the Franchise

• 1842 law: House members elected by 1842 law: House members elected by districtdistrict

• 1515thth Amendment (1870): seemed to give Amendment (1870): seemed to give suffrage to African Americanssuffrage to African Americans

• 1919thth Amendment (1920): Women given Amendment (1920): Women given suffrage suffrage

• 2626thth Amendment (1971): 18-year-olds Amendment (1971): 18-year-olds given suffragegiven suffrage

– Were these rights restricted in any way?Were these rights restricted in any way?

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NonvotingNonvoting

• Alleged problem: low turnout of Alleged problem: low turnout of voters in the U.S. compared to voters in the U.S. compared to EuropeEurope

• Data is misleading: it tends to Data is misleading: it tends to compare turnout of the voting-age compare turnout of the voting-age population; turnout of registered population; turnout of registered voters reveals the problem is not so voters reveals the problem is not so severesevere

**Look at Table 8.1 on p.174**Look at Table 8.1 on p.174

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Figure 8.3 Voter Turnout Figure 8.3 Voter Turnout in in

Presidential Elections, by Presidential Elections, by Age, Schooling, and Race, Age, Schooling, and Race,

1964–20001964–2000

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Table Table 8.3: Two 8.3: Two Methods Methods of of CalculatiCalculating ng Turnout Turnout in in PresidentPresidential ial ElectionsElections, 1948-, 1948-20002000Read p.181 Read p.181 about VAP vs. about VAP vs. VEPVEP

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Voter TurnoutVoter Turnout

• Real decline is caused by lessening Real decline is caused by lessening popular interest and decreasing party popular interest and decreasing party mobilizationmobilization

• Some scholars argue historical voter Some scholars argue historical voter turnout figures where skewed by turnout figures where skewed by fraudfraud

• Most scholars see some real decline Most scholars see some real decline due to several causes, including the due to several causes, including the difficulty of registrationdifficulty of registration

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Six Kinds of US CitizensSix Kinds of US Citizens

• InactivesInactives: rarely vote, contribute to : rarely vote, contribute to political organizations, or discuss politics; political organizations, or discuss politics; have little education, low income, young, have little education, low income, young, many blacksmany blacks

• Voting specialistsVoting specialists: vote but do little else; : vote but do little else; not much education or income, oldernot much education or income, older

• CampaignersCampaigners: vote, get involved in : vote, get involved in campaign activities, more educated, campaign activities, more educated, interested in politics, identify with a interested in politics, identify with a party, take strong positionsparty, take strong positions

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Six Kinds of US CitizensSix Kinds of US Citizens

• CommunalistsCommunalists: nonpartisan community : nonpartisan community activists with a local focusactivists with a local focus

• Parochial participantsParochial participants: don’t vote or : don’t vote or participate in campaigns or political participate in campaigns or political organizations, but do contact politicians organizations, but do contact politicians about specific problemsabout specific problems

• ActivistsActivists: Participate in all forms of : Participate in all forms of politics; highly educated, high income, politics; highly educated, high income, middle agedmiddle aged

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Predictors of Predictors of ParticipationParticipation

• Those with schooling or political Those with schooling or political information are more likely to voteinformation are more likely to vote

• Church-goers vote more, because Church-goers vote more, because church involvement develops the church involvement develops the skills associated with political skills associated with political participationparticipation

• Men and women vote at about the Men and women vote at about the same ratesame rate

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Predictors of Predictors of ParticipationParticipation

• Black participation is generally lower Black participation is generally lower than that of whites overallthan that of whites overall

• However, controlling for However, controlling for socioeconomic status (if it is at the socioeconomic status (if it is at the same level), blacks participate at a same level), blacks participate at a higher rate than whiteshigher rate than whites

• Studies show no correlation between Studies show no correlation between distrust of political leaders and not distrust of political leaders and not votingvoting

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Factors That Decrease Factors That Decrease TurnoutTurnout

• More youths, blacks, and other More youths, blacks, and other minorities in population are pushing minorities in population are pushing down the percentage of eligible down the percentage of eligible adults who are registered and voteadults who are registered and vote

• Parties are less effective in Parties are less effective in mobilizing votersmobilizing voters

• Remaining impediments to Remaining impediments to registration have some discouraging registration have some discouraging effectseffects

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Factors That Decrease Factors That Decrease TurnoutTurnout

• Voting is not compulsory, as it is in Voting is not compulsory, as it is in some other nationssome other nations

• Some potential voters may feel that Some potential voters may feel that elections do not matterelections do not matter

• Look at p.184-185Look at p.184-185

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Participation Other Than Participation Other Than VotingVoting

• People can give money to a People can give money to a candidatecandidate

• They can join political organizationsThey can join political organizations• Citizens also engage in a wide Citizens also engage in a wide

variety of nonpolitical activities.variety of nonpolitical activities.

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What Participation Rates What Participation Rates MeanMean

• Americans vote less, but participate Americans vote less, but participate moremore

• Americans elect more officials and Americans elect more officials and have more electionshave more elections

• U.S. turnout rates are heavily U.S. turnout rates are heavily skewed to higher status personsskewed to higher status persons

• Look at p.186Look at p.186