Chapter 8: Political

ParticipationVoting

NonvotingMethods of Participation

Political Participation• Various ways in which people take part in politics

and government:- Voting- Party affiliation- Donating money to campaigns- Keeping informed of issues- Debating/Discussing issues- Protesting- Contacting local officials

Nonvoting• VAP (Voting Age Population

- Citizens18 years of age

• VEP (Voting Eligible Population)- Citizens 18 years of age- EXCLUDES those who are legally not allowed to vote- convicted felons, noncitizens

2008 VAP = 231 million, voter turnout 56.8%2008 VEP = 213 million, voter turnout 61.7%

Presidential election voter turnout = roughly 50% (just under)

Nonvoting• In partners, analyze the data charts focusing on

nonvoters.

• Evaluate and develop 1 CUMMULATIVE observation for each section of nonvoter data

• SHARE OUT/Discuss!

Nonvoting TrendsPercent Registered/Voted PRESIDENTIAL ELECTION

• Ages 18 – 20 register and vote the LEAST• Lower levels of education and low income vote the LEAST

AGE 1996 2000 2004 2008

18-20 46/31 41/28 51/41 53/44

21-24 51/33 49/35 52/43 62/52

25-34 57/43 55/44 56/47 66/57

65+ 77/67 76/68 77/69 77/70

Nonvoting TrendsWHYYYY??!

Three-Quarters (75%) of nonvoters said…..- Busy- Scheduling conflicts (work/school)

12% of nonvoters said…- Family chores/obligations

12% of nonvoters said…- Believe their vote wouldn’t make a

difference

Attempts to Increase Voting

• Poll booth times (early AM – late PM)• Mail in ballots (day prior)• Absentee ballot• Motor-voter law : allow voters to register upon

receiving driver’s license • Same day registration• GOTV (Get-Out-the-Vote)Drive

- door-to –door visits, phone calls = most effective- leaflets, email, mail, radio ads

Attempts to Increase Voting

** Although the number of registered voters has gone up significantly since the motor-voter law, voter turnout has NOT increased!

Even “social pressure”/media/celebrity influence…. 62% of pressured nonvoters DID NOT vote in 2008

Decline of U.S. Voter Turnout

Since 1960, voter turnout has declined in EVERY presidential election.

• WHY?!

• Each student will be assigned a reading section of Richard W. Boyd (Wesleyan University)

* READ and HIGHLIGHT/IDENTIFY the reasons along with a brief explanation of each

Decline of U.S. Voter Turnout

Warm-Up: What were the various reasons and explanations from the article?

1. ** CHANGING BIRTH RATESPostwar baby boom = largest voting group currently

2. ** CHANGING AGE DISTRIBUTION26th amendment = young voters (nonvoters)

3. ** COMPLEX ELECTIONSThere are too many elections for Americans to partake in

4.** SCHEDULED ELECTIONSStaggered elections = requires more attention of voters

5.** PRIMARIESRequires affiliation, is one more election, requires attention of voters

VotingAnalyze the 2012 presidential election exit poll and develop voting trend observations

2012 EXIT POLL DATA

Voting

Voting Trends

Voting Trends

Voting Trends

• Ages 65+ register and vote the MOST• Higher educated vote the MOST• Higher incomes vote the MOST

Voting Trends

Voting Trends

Voting TrendsGap between voter turnout in presidential elections and midterm

elections

- “Staggered” schedule of midterm elections v. general election** general election =1 day of voting (easier)

- Structure of voter impact** general election = reelection or new president (easy to understand)** midterm election = new/partial congress (confusing and lack of

feeling a difference)

- More campaigning & high profile in general election

- More value in presidential election** lack of confidence in congressional leaders

- Electoral college v. midterm popular vote** pressure that every vote counts = influential?

Barriers to Voting(historical)

• Literacy Tests- illiterate and uneducated kept from voting- former slaves were uneducated

• Poll Taxes- poor persons were kept from voting- former slaves were poor

• Grandfather Clause- voting allowed for those whose grandfather was able to vote

prior to 1867- allowed poor whites to vote

• White Primary- kept blacks from voting in the state primaries (in the south)

Barriers to Voting(current)

• Voting Rights Act 1965- 2013 S.C. ruling in which the federal

government NO LONGER has to approve state voting laws

• Demographics- areas of poverty and lack of resources

Do you think that state voting regulations, such as voter ID laws, negatively impact the eldery, poor, and uneducated?