Political Participation

Why Do People Vote? Who Votes?Do We Care?

Homework Due Thursday, BEGINNING of Class 3-1, 6-6

3-4 for extra credit (worth 20 points)

http://elections.gmu.edu/Voter_Turnout_2004.htm

Pre-1990s Scholarship Two camps

Rational choice theorists “Demographic predictor” researchers

Anthony Downs, “An Economic Theory of Democracy” (1957) People vote if (P*B) – C > 0

Good theory, bad prediction “Predicts” that rational people never vote Possible “fix”

Focus on different benefits . . . Psychic benefits, “duty”

Turnout not always sensitive to changes in costs National Voter Registration Act (Motor Voter

Act) of 1993) increased registration but not turnout

BUT what about effects of “same day registration”?

2004 Total Turnout Rates for Voting Eligible Population Minnesota: 77.21% Wisconsin: 76.19% Maine: 73.37%

Possible explanations:

Law High Turnout

LawCivic Culture

High Turnout

Other Camp Demographic people are able to predict

behavior based on characteristics Education SES Race Age

But, they don’t really explain why people vote (description rather than explanation)

So . . . One camp is developing

explanations that don’t do a good job of describing actual behavior

The other camp is developing descriptions but not bothering to explain the “why” question

Civic Voluntarism Model Henry Brady, Sidney Verba and

Kay Lehman Schlozman “Voice and Equality”

Civic Voluntarism Model Interest/Engagement Mobilization/Recruitment Resources

Interest/Engagement interest in politics political efficacy (“I can make a

difference, I can participate effectively”) sense of civic duty (“It’s my job as an

American to participate”) group consciousness (“As my

community goes, so go I”) party identification commitment to personal issues

What might affect interest/engagement?

Mobilization/Recruitment Being asked to participate What increases chances of

recruitment?

Resources Time Money “Civic skills”

Organizational skills Language skills Social adeptness

What increases resources?

Note . . . Some demographic characteristics

can cut both ways Example: having children

May increase interest/engagement May decrease resources

Implications for Civic Voluntarism Model “Equal opportunity” not all that equal Importance of social capital and group

membership Importance of “political entrepreneurs” –

politicians and groups that mobilize people

Importance of childhood experiences (family life, education) in adult political behavior

Barriers to ParticipationFormal Voter Eligibility Registration laws Campaign finance laws Number / quality of polling places

Barriers to ParticipationInformal Lack of money Lack of time Lack of knowledge Language barriers Lack of “social capital”

Participation: The Big Picture 2004: 55% of “Voting Age Population”

actually voted (highest since 1968) 2002: 37% of “Voting Age Population”

actually voted Numbers somewhat misleading

“VAP” includes all adults, even those who are ineligible to vote.

In fact, 63.8% of the CITIZEN population voted in 2004

Turnout Declining over past 50 years Why? Do we care?

Turnout in 2004 - Race% Adult Citizens

VotingWhite 67.2%

Black 60.0%

Hispanic 47.2%

Asian 44.1%

Turnout in 2004 - Gender Men (citizens): 62.1% Women (citizens): 65.4%

Turnout in 2004 -- Age

18 to 24 years 46.7%25 to 34 years 55.7%35 to 44 years 64.0%45 to 54 years 68.7%55 to 64 years 72.8%65 to 74 years 73.3%75 years and over 68.5%

Demographics of Participation Higher education Higher SES Higher age

Cohort Effect?

Big Picture Again Again, do we care about turnout? What can we do to fix it?