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Political Participation:

Political Participation:. Voting and Non-voting Participation in the United States. Political Participation. Do Americans participate in government? What are the trends? What explains levels of participation in the U.S.?

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Political Participation:

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  1. Political Participation: Voting and Non-voting Participation in the United States

  2. Political Participation • Do Americans participate in government? • What are the trends? • What explains levels of participation in the U.S.? • How do participation levels of Americans compare with citizens of other nations? • What can explain the differences? • What do those who participate look like? • Demographic factors and turnout • Should Americans participate? Does participation matter?

  3. Political Participation • Two Types of Political Participation: • Conventional Participation • Voting • Letter writing • Contact with Representatives • Working on Campaigns • Campaign Contributions • Joining Groups (social capital) • Running for Office • Unconventional Participation • Boycotts, Sit-ins, Marches, Demonstrations, Violence

  4. Expanding Suffrage Constitutional Amendments: • 15 (1870) = Race • 19 (1920) = Sex • 23 (1961) = Residents of DC can vote for President but not Congress • 24 (1964) = Poll tax • 26 (1971) = 18 years old, changes from 21

  5. Voting Trends • Initially, suffrage changes resulted in increased participation • Recently, voter turnout steadily on the decline = the vanishing electorate • High of around 60% in Presidential elections -- 50% in midterm -- even lower in local elections

  6. Various Explanations for Limited Participation • Why Americans Still Don’t Vote • Voter Registration • Not automatic • Requires foresight • Residency requirements • Mobile Electorate • Voting Percentage of Registered Voters rivals the voter turnout in other countries • Motor-Voter Legislation

  7. Various Explanations for Limited Participation • There are too many elections in the United States • High information costs • Election Day (Tuesday, work day) • Voter apathy • People believe they gain few personal benefits to themselves from voting

  8. Various Explanations for Limited Participation • Political parties are weaker • Opportunity costs • Generational Change • Civic duty has declined • Irrational to vote • Very little chance of affecting the outcome of an election • Weather

  9. Demographic Factors and Voter Turnout Graph • 2000 Election Exit Polls • http://www.cnn.com/ELECTION/2000/epolls/US/P000.html

  10. Increasing Voter Turnout • How could we increase voter turnout? • Should we increase voter turnout?

  11. Three Puzzles About American Turnout • Why is turnout in national elections lower than most other democracies? • Institutional factors • Why has turnout in the U.S. declined since 1960? • What caused turnout to go up slightly in 1992? And go back down in 1996? • Education levels have been rising • Registration has become much easier

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