1. Neal Tannahill Texas Government: Policy and Politics, 10th Edition Chapter Twenty One POLITICAL PARTICIPATION Copyright @ 2010, 2008, 2006 Pearson Education, Inc.

2. Slide 2 Political Participation  In This Chapter We Will Cover:  Voting Rights And Minority Participation  Participation In Texas Politics Copyright @ 2010, 2008, 2006 Pearson Education, Inc.

3. Slide 3 IntroductionIntroduction  Initiative process  An initiative process is a procedure whereby citizens can propose the adoption of policy measures by gathering signatures on a petition.  Nearly half of the states have the initiative process, but Texas does not.  In 2002, voters in 40 states approved 62 percent of 202 statewide ballot initiatives covering such diverse policy issues as property tax rates, gay and lesbian rights, the death penalty, insurance rates, term limits for elected officials, casino gambling, and the rights of crime victims. Copyright @ 2010, 2008, 2006 Pearson Education, Inc.

4. Slide 4 IntroductionIntroduction  Advocates of the initiative process believe that it enhances participation by more closely linking citizens to their government. Initiative allows voters to overcome the opposition of their elected representatives to adopt policy proposals they favor.  Opponents of the initiative process contend that it diminishes the quality of democracy. They point out that interest groups often drive the initiative process when they fail to achieve their policy goals through the legislative process.  The controversy over the initiative process introduces the general topic of participation in the policymaking in Texas.  Political participation is important because it is the mechanism that links citizens to government. Copyright @ 2010, 2008, 2006 Pearson Education, Inc.

5. Slide 5 Voting Rights and Minority Participation  When Texas joined the Union in 1845, only white males enjoyed the right to vote.  Much of the subsequent voting history of the state is the story of the efforts of women and the members of racial and ethnic groups to gain the right to vote and participate meaningfully in Texas politics. Copyright @ 2010, 2008, 2006 Pearson Education, Inc.

6. Slide 6 Women’s Suffrage  The women’s rights movement began in the 1840s as an offshoot of the abolition movement.  The abolition movement was a political reform effort in early nineteenth-century America, whose goal was the elimination of slavery.  Suffrage is the right to vote.  The drive for women’s suffrage did not pick up steam in the state until 1903 with the founding of the Texas Suffrage Association.  In 1919, the U.S. Congress proposed a constitutional amendment granting women the right to vote nationwide; the 19th amendment became law in 1920.  Texas was the first state in the South to ratify the 19th amendment. Copyright @ 2010, 2008, 2006 Pearson Education, Inc.

7. Slide 7 Minority Voting Rights  African American Enfranchisement after the Civil War  The war ended slavery, but the state’s white political establishment refused to enfranchise former slaves.  In 1867, Congress passed legislation that placed the South under military rule and forced southern states to grant African Americans the right to vote.  African Americans registered to vote for the first time in 1867, and begin to participate in Texas politics.  After the early 1870s, Texas politics began to return to the pattern in place before the Civil War of denying political participation to African Americans. Copyright @ 2010, 2008, 2006 Pearson Education, Inc.

8. Slide 8 Minority Voting Rights  Minority Disfranchisement  After Reconstruction, Texas was a one-party state with the dominance of the Democratic Party.  In the early 20th century, Texas restricted the voting rights of minorities in order to maintain the political power of whites.  Disfranchisement is the denial of voting rights.  Main instruments of disfranchisement were:  Poll tax – a tax that prospective voters had to pay in order to register to vote  White primary – an election system that prohibited African Americans from voting in Democratic primary elections Copyright @ 2010, 2008, 2006 Pearson Education, Inc.

9. Slide 9 Minority Voting Rights  Minority Disfranchisement (cont.)  The exclusion of African Americans from participation in the Democratic primary not only barred them from influence in Democratic Party politics but also from meaningful participation in Texas politics in general.  Primary election – an intra-party election during which a party’s candidates for the general election is chosen. Copyright @ 2010, 2008, 2006 Pearson Education, Inc.

10. Slide 10 Minority Voting Rights  Boss Control in South Texas  In heavily Hispanic South Texas, political bosses, in particular ranch-owners, controlled both local economies and local politics.  The white primary did not keep Latinos from voting, but political bosses often controlled the votes of Latinos. Copyright @ 2010, 2008, 2006 Pearson Education, Inc.

11. Slide 11 Minority Voting Rights  The Struggle for Minority Voting Rights  Minorities turned to the federal courts and Congress for help in regaining the right to vote.  In 1944, the Supreme Court struck down white primaries as an unconstitutional violation of the 15th amendment.  In 1962, Congress proposed a constitutional amendment to prohibit poll tax, and it was ratified as the 24th amendment in 1964.  In 1964, the Supreme Court struck down the poll tax as a violation of the equal protection clause of the 14th amendment. Copyright @ 2010, 2008, 2006 Pearson Education, Inc.

12. Slide 12 Participation in Texas Politics  A democracy is a system of government in which people hold ultimate political power through participation.  Texans participate in the policy process through a number of ways: voting, campaigning, joining political groups, contacting public officials, and participating in protest demonstrations and unconventional political acts. Copyright @ 2010, 2008, 2006 Pearson Education, Inc.

13. Slide 13 Forms of Participation  Voting  To vote in Texas, individuals must be 18 years of age, American citizens, residents of the state, and registered to vote.  Voters cast their ballots in election precincts near their homes.  Texans can vote early if they wish.  Campaigning  People can also participate in politics by working on election campaigns.  Campaign volunteers can help with mass mailings, staff telephone banks, and even assemble yard signs and distribute them to the candidate’s supporters. Copyright @ 2010, 2008, 2006 Pearson Education, Inc.

14. Slide 14 Other Forms of Participation  People can participate by working through a group (e.g. joining the NRA, MADD, or LULAC)  Some people participate in the policy process by contacting government officials.  Others chose to participate by engaging in protest demonstrations.  Finally, some choose to go beyond peaceful protest and engage in acts of political violence. Copyright @ 2010, 2008, 2006 Pearson Education, Inc.

15. Slide 15 Participation Rates in Texas  Figure 4.1 summarizes participation in the 2006 presidential election in Texas.  Voter turnout was not very high for the state in 2006.  Voting-age population equaled 16.4 million  Registered voters equaled 13.1 million  Voter turnout equaled 4.4 million Copyright @ 2010, 2008, 2006 Pearson Education, Inc.

17. Slide 17 Participation Rates in Texas  Compared with other states, the level of participation in Texas is relatively low, at least in terms of voter turnout.  Figure 4.2 shows that less than 50 percent of the state’s voting-age population has turned out to vote in every presidential election since 1980.  In 2004, the voter turnout rate in Texas was the fourth lowest in the nation.  High levels of participation, however, are associated with older, better educated populations with relatively high incomes.  The weakness of political parties and labor unions in Texas may be associated with relatively low levels of voter turnout. Copyright @ 2010, 2008, 2006 Pearson Education, Inc.

19. Slide 19 Patterns of Participation  Participation rates vary among individuals based on income, age, and race/ethnicity.  Middle- and upper-income groups participate at a higher rate than lower-income groups.  Political participation increases with age until advanced age and ill health force the elderly to slow down.  Overall participation rates for African Americans and whites of European descent are similar, while participation rates for Latinos are substantially lower.  Whites are significantly overrepresented at the ballot box, whereas Latinos are dramatically underrepresented. Copyright @ 2010, 2008, 2006 Pearson Education, Inc.

20. Slide 20 Patterns of Participation Texas Population and Electorate Distribution By Group in 2004 Group Population Distribution Electorate Distribution Group Population Distribution Electorate Distribution White 50% 63% Latino 35% 23% African American 12% 12% Asian 3% 1% Copyright @ 2010, 2008, 2006 Pearson Education, Inc.

21. Slide 21 Patterns of Participation  Race/Ethnicity  Participation rates for African Americans somewhat exceed expectations because of the effectiveness of organizations in the African American community, such as churches and political groups.  Participation rates for Latino Texans reflect the relative weakness of Latino organizations at turning out the vote.  Gender  Men and women are equally likely to vote, but men are more likely than women to engage in other forms of political participation. Copyright @ 2010, 2008, 2006 Pearson Education, Inc.

22. Slide 22 Participation and Representation  Table 4.1 compares the scales scores for Texas with the national mean for the 50 states.  The Texas electorate is less representative of the population that the average state electorate, especially in terms of income and education.  The proportion of the poor people in the electorate in Texas is only 50 percent as large as it is in the state’s adult population.  The underrepresentation of Texans who are poor is the legacy of the state’s long history of public policies designed to limit the right to vote to middle-class and upper-income white people. The white primary, poll tax, and restrictive voter registration requirements all discouraged or prevented poor Texans from registering to vote. Copyright @ 2010, 2008, 2006 Pearson Education, Inc.

24. Slide 24 Conclusion: Participation and Policymaking  Demographic changes in Texas in terms of income, race, and ethnicity are associated with changes in political participation that influence every stage of policymaking. The stages are:  Agenda building  Policy formulation and adoption  Policy implementation and evaluation Copyright @ 2010, 2008, 2006 Pearson Education, Inc.