Participation
Political Political Participation A. Forms of participation 1. Voting 2. Campaign activity 3. Personal contacting 4. Cooperative activity 5. Unconventional participation 6. Nonparticipation B. New research on time and money as participation resources. How is the character of American politics and policy affected by socialization and participation patterns?
Age and Political Participation, 1996
100 90 80 70 60 50 40 30 20 10 0 18-25 26-35 36-50 51-65 66 & older
Age
Voted in 1996 Attended campaign rallies Persuaded others Worked for party/candidate Wore button or bumper sticker Contributed money
SOURCE: American National Election Studies
The Aging of the Population
SOURCE: U.S. Bureau of the Census; 2050 data are estimates
Who could vote in 1900?
Only men Only men who were at least 21 Only white men (in the South) Only men who were registered to vote In many places, only men who had paid a poll tax In many places, only men who had passed a literacy test
20th Century Expansions of Suffrage
19th amendment (ratified 1920) gave women the right to vote in national elections 24th amendment (ratified 1964) eliminated the poll tax 26th amendment (ratified 1971) lowered voting age to 18 Voting Rights Act of 1965 outlawed literacy tests and knocked down most of the other impediments to voting for black Americans. Liberalized registration laws. Same day registration in states like Maine. National motor-voter registration law (1993)
Turnout in Elections for President and House of Representatives, 1920-2006
SOURCE: from Constructed U.S. Census Bureau data.
Mean Percentage of Citizens Voting in Legislative Elections, 1945-2002
Conundrum: Higher Education, Lower Turnout
SOURCE: Kenneth Janda et al., The Challenge of Democracy (Houghton Mifflin, 2008), p. 218.
The Youth Vote
SOURCE: The Center for Information and Research on Civic Learning and Engagement (http://www.civicyouth.org/PopUps/Release_Turnout2004.pdf)
Why Dont People Vote?
Weve expanded the franchise so broadly that it now includes many people who have no interest in voting Mobility of the American people
Its more difficult to vote in America than in many other countries Non-voting is for most non-voters a conscious choice
Competition in U.S. House Districts in the 1990s
12% of all races were uncontested (only one major party candidate) In 85% of the contested races, one candidate had a margin of victory greater than 20% of the total vo...