1. Chapter 8: Political Participation

2. A closer look at nonvoting The ALLEGED problem Low voter turnout when compared to Europeans Apples and Oranges comparisons Voting-AGE Population The voting age population (VAP), on the other hand, is a rough estimate of the population that are within the prescribed age to vote regardless of being registered or otherwise legally eligible. Voting-ELIGIBLE Population The voting eligible population (VEP) is the figure representing the section of the population that are registered and legally empowered to vote.

3. A closer look at nonvoting Common explanation: Voter apathy on Election Day More realistic explanation Low registration rates

4. A closer look at nonvoting Top Reasons Cited for Not Voting Illness or disability14.9 Not interested13.4 Did not like candidates or campaign issues12.9 Other11.3 Out of town8.8 Don’t know7 Registration problems6 Inconvenient polling place2.7 Transportation problems2.6 Forgot2.6 Bad weather0.2 Source: U.S Census Bureau : Voting and Registration Date Verified: 7.6.2014

5. A closer look at nonvoting Voter Registration StatisticsData Total number of Americans eligible to vote **206,072,000 Total number of Americans registered to vote146,311,000 Total number of Americans who voted in the 2012 Presidential election 131,144,000 Percent of Americans who voted in the 2012 Presidential election64 % State with the highest voter turnout rate (Minnesota)75 % State with the lowest voter turnout rate (Utah)53.1 % Source: U.S Census Bureau : Voting and Registration Date Verified: 7.6.2014

6. A closer look at nonvoting Voter Registration by DemographicsPercent Male69.1 Female72.8 White73.5 Black69.7 Asian55.3 Hispanic59.4 Source: U.S Census Bureau : Voting and Registration Date Verified: 7.6.2014

7. A closer look at nonvoting Voter Registration by DemographicsPercent Age 18 to 2458.5 Age 25 to 3466.4 Age 35 to 4469.9 Age 45 to 5473.5 Age 55 to 6476.6 Age 65 to 7478.1 Age 75 or older76.6 Source: U.S Census Bureau : Voting and Registration Date Verified: 7.6.2014

8. A closer look at nonvoting Voter Registration by DemographicsPercent Less than high school graduate50.5 High school graduate64.1 Some college75.3 Bachelor’s degree81.2 Advanced degree85.8 Owns home74.5 Rents home60.1 Source: U.S Census Bureau : Voting and Registration Date Verified: 7.6.2014

9. A closer look at nonvoting Voter Registration by DemographicsPercent Income < $20,00063.7 $20,000 to $29,99967.1 $30,000 to $39,99971.1 $40,000 to $49,99972.6 $50,000 to $74,99978.2 $75,000 to $99,99981.9 Income > $100,00079.6 Source: U.S Census Bureau : Voting and Registration Date Verified: 7.6.2014

10. A closer look at nonvoting Solution! “GET OUT THE VOTE CAMPAIGNS!” -- won’t make a difference with UNREGISTERED VOTERS!

11. A closer look at nonvoting Other causes of nonvoting Costs Some European nations FINE people for not voting Some European nations DISENFRANCHISE people for not voting Some European nations make the day a work holiday Americans don’t want to give up their right NOT to vote!

12. A closer look at nonvoting Motor-Voter Law of 1993 Did not create a general boom in voter turnout Did increase registration among eligible voters Did not change the balance of the two parties among registrants Did increase the number of independents among registrants Probably added registrants who are less likely to vote!

13. A closer look at nonvoting Nonvoting is a decision! There are other ways to participate

14. The rise of the American electorate From state to federal control Initially, states decided nearly everything about voting rights Led to a wide variation in federal elections

15. The rise of the American electorate Congress has reduced state prerogatives 1842: House members elected by district Suffrage to women Suffrage to blacks Suffrage to youth (18-21 year olds) Direct popular election of senators

16. Rise of the American electorate Fifteenth Amendment gutted by the Supreme Court, “does not confer a right to vote” Southern states then use evasive strategies Literacy test Poll tax White primaries Grandfather clause Intimidation

17. The rise of the American electorate Most of the “Jim Crow” strategies are ruled out by the Supreme Court Major change came with the 1965 Voting Rights Act Rise in the black vote (especially in the South)

18. The rise of the American electorate Women’s voting rights Western states led the way in permitting women the right to vote Nineteenth Amendment ratified in 1920 No dramatic changes in percentage of votes cast for either party

19. The rise of the American electorate Youth voting rights Voting rights Act of 1970 – youth can vote in federal elections Twenty-sixth Amendment ratified in 1971 – youth can vote in state elections Low turnout No particular party gains votes

20. The rise of the American electorate Federal rules now govern MOST aspects of voting regulations

21. Voter turnout The debate over declining percentages The percentages are REAL Result of a decline in popular interest in elections Decline in the competitiveness of the two major parties

22. Voter turnout The debate over declining percentages It’s real! Parties (machines?) originally worked hard to increase turnout The election of 1896 locked parties into regional parties Republicans = North Democrats = South

23. Voter turnout The debate over declining percentages It’s real! Lopsided Republican victories made many lose interest Party leadership More conservative than the party regulars Resisted mass participation

24. Voter turnout The decline isn’t just a case of fewer people voting Dishonest ballot counting in the past Easier to pad the numbers (fraud) Parties (not the government) printed the ballots The ballots were visible to others during the vote Parties controlled the counting Today’s more verifiable voting means that less fraud and padding can take place

25. Voter turnout Some middle ground: there is at least some real decline Registration became more difficult Longer residency requirements Educational qualifications Discrimination The continuing drop since the 1960s can’t be explained by registration regulations Refinement of VAP data and VEP data does show a decline Note: universal turnout probably wouldn’t alter election outcomes!

26. Who participates? What is participation? Voting Most common May be over reported by voters by as much as 10%

27. Who participates? Verba and Nye’s six types of participants Complete inactives Voting specialists Campaigners Communalists Parochial participants Complete activists

28. Verba and Nye Completely Inactive (22%) Rarely vote No organizational involvement Rarely if ever, talk about politics or issues Traits Lower education Lower income Relatively young Higher percent of African-Americans than in general population

29. Verba and Nye Parochial participants (4%) Rarely vote Stays out of Election campaigns Civic associations Willing to contact public officials about specific and personal problems

30. Verba and Nye Voting Specialists (21%) Votes, but not much else Tend not to have much schooling Tend to be lower income Tend to be older

31. Communalists (20%) Engages in community activities Non-partisan Active in local interests Forming local groups Contacting local officials Better educated than average Doesn’t like conflict Doesn’t like partisan tensions Willing to take strong positions on issues

32. Verba and Nye Campaigners (15%) Voters Campaign activists Work phones Walk precincts Better educated than average Political interests Conflicts Passions Struggles Clearly identified with a party Willing to take strong positions on issues

33. Verba and Nye Complete Activists (11%) Participate in all forms of politics Traits Highly educated Higher income Tend to be middle aged

34. Indicators of participation Those with advanced education Those with more political information Church goers Sex

35. Indicators of participation Race Overall black vote Black vote adjusted for socio-economic status Level in trust of government

36. Indicators of participation Registration Difficult process? Easy process?

37. Other factors negatively affecting voter turnout rates More youths and minority groups as a growing segment of society Traditionally non-voters Skews the over-all percents to non-voting Decreasing effectiveness of the parties to get out the voters State regulations on registration process

38. Other factors negatively affecting voter turnout rates Non-voting is costly in other countries Ethnic groups may experience language barriers Many groups participate in other ways Ex. High level of black people participate in other social organizations yet do not vote in the same numbers Low political efficacy My vote doesn’t matter, so why bother?

39. Increasing voter turnout The parties fight over how best to do it Each party targets a population which would vote favorably to their causes No one knows which would be helped Democrats, “Let’s work to boost the rates of poor people and black people etc.” Republicans, “Let’s work to boost the declining rates of those with higher education.” Would increasing registration and voting rates matter? Would there be an equal and opposite REACTION to gains by the opposing party?

40. So, what does it all mean??? Compared to other wealthy nations Americans vote less Participate more in other civic activities Alternate activities are more common here More alternate activities are becoming popular Americans have more elections Nation, state, county, school, municipality Primaries and general elections Voter fatigue?????

41. And finally …. US turnout rates Heavily tilted toward Higher classes Anglo-Americans Not representative of the population as a whole Other wealthy democracies are much closer in ratios Only time will tell what will happen as minorities become a minority-majority in the USA