1. Citizen Participation & Voting Behavior in Democracy
Chapter 7

2. Political Participation
48.8% of all eligible voters actually voted in presidential election
61.5% of all eligible voters actually voted in presidential election.
Electorate: the people who are qualified to vote
Citizen
18 years old
Registered to vote

3. Political Socialization
How we learn the values and norms about politics
Parents
Peers
Education

4. Who Participates Education Age Race / Ethnicity Higher education
Over 55
Race / Ethnicity
Whites (64%)
African Americans (53%)
Hispanics (44%)

5. Voting Rights Original: white male property owners over 21
1852 universal manhood suffrage
1870 African American males (Amend. 15)
1920 Women - 19th Amendment
year olds 26th Amendment

6. Voter Eligibility
Citizen
Age
Residence
Registration

7. Demographics Study of the characteristics of a population
Political predisposition
Reinforcing cleavages
Cross cutting cleavages

8. Shared Values Liberty Equality Democracy Individualism Free enterprise
Justice & rule of law
Patriotism
Optimism
Civic duty

9. Demographics: Who Are We?
Race
Ethnicity
Gender
Age
Religion
Income
Census Bureau

10. Citizens
Constitution guarantees civil liberties to all persons living in the USA
Legal Residents
Citizens
Born in USA
Child born of US parents living abroad
adoption
Naturalization
18 years old
Literate in English / US history
Lived in USA 5 years
File petition requesting citizenship
Investigated by INS
97% aliens who seek citizenship are granted

11. Loss of US Citizenship Expatriation
Punishment for a federal crime – if naturalized
Fraud during naturalization

12. Dual Citizenship
Birth
Marriage
Naturalization
Adoption (under 16)

13. History of Immigration
Largest number came : 17.3 million
: 6.9 million immigrants
Expand in peace; contract during war
Foreign born portion of population increased from 14million 1980 to 26 million in 1998

14. Ideology Shared common political culture 5 ideologies Liberalism
Classical liberalism
Conservatism
Libertarianism
Environmentalism
Socialism

15. S E P D R TP NC Left Center Right
Ideological Spectrum
S E P D R TP NC
Left Center Right

16. Unity in Diversity
Melting pot
Salad bowl

17. Civic Life
Social clubs / civic organizations: building blocks to civil society
Expands social capital
Social capital promotes civic engagement - how we use our taxes
Role of the internet?

18. Civic Engagement Electoral specialist Civic specialist Dual activists
Disengaged

19. Civic Participation Writing a press release Writing a letter
Communicating with a public official
Organizing a letter writing campaign
Testifying
Create a web site
Give an interview
Write and circulate a petition
Create and conduct a opinion survey
Join a campaign or interest group
Organize a fund raiser
Sponsor a ballot initiative or referendum
Boycott
Run for public office
Start an interest group

20. Attentive Public
Attentive public: those who follow public affairs carefully
25% attentive public
40% part time citizens: selective participation
35% nonvoters; rarely interested
Political know nothings
Avoid political activity
Little interest in government

21. Voting Types Inactives 22% Voting specialists 21% Campaigners 15%
Communalists (community activists) 20%
Parochial participants (contact elected officials with personal political problems) 4%
Complete Activists (all forms) 1%