Political Participation:

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Political Participation

• Voting and Non-voting Participation in the United
  States

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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?

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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

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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

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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

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Various Explanations for Limited Participation

• Why Americans Still Dont 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

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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

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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

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Demographic Factors and Voter Turnout Graph

• 2000 Election Exit Polls
• http//www.cnn.com/ELECTION/2000/epolls/US/P000.ht
  ml

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Increasing Voter Turnout

• How could we increase voter turnout?
• Should we increase voter turnout?

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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