1. Political/Civic
Engagement
in the U.S.

2. Who participates?
Political Participation: activities in which citizens engage to influence the selection of leaders and/or the policies they pursue.
Demographic characteristics:
Education: the single most important characteristic of politically engaged people—a high level of education. Why?
Age: highest percentages of voters are over 45
Gender: since 1992, women have voted, by a small margin, in greater numbers than men

3. Who participates?
Race and ethnicity: Whites have higher voting rates than do Blacks and Latinos; however, controlling for income and education differences, the rates are approximately the same
Income: people with higher incomes participate at greater rates than low income individuals
Religious involvement: as religious involvement increases, so does political involvement
Describe a typical voter.

4. How do we participate? Reported having done the following:
61.6% (VEP) voted in the 2012 election (actual #)
56% have signed a petition
55% have attended a city council or school board mtg.
42% have given money to a campaign
34% have attended a political meeting
21% have put a sticker on their car, worn a button, put a sign in yard, distributed political information
19% have joined a rally or march
3% have worked for a party or a candidate
National Election Studies, Center for Political Studies,
University of Michigan

5. Voter Turnout
Registered voters: – 2012, app. 75 – 80% of registered voters voted
Eligible voters: – 2012, app. 50% of people eligible voted
What’s the difference in the two groups?
What can account for the difference in turnout?

6. Voting Rights Act (1965)
26th Amendment (1971)

10. Voter Turnout
Based on what you know about the groups of people that tend to have lower turnout, generate a list of possible reasons to explain their turnout level. Also, brainstorm some possible solutions to low voter turnout.

11. Institutional Barriers to Voting
Voter registration requirements—Where? How?
Motor-Voter bill (1993): allows people to register to vote while at the DMV, and requires states to facilitate voter registration at various other commonly frequented places
Deadlines to register prior to election day—some states have same-day registration
Citizenship requirements
Institutionalized or a felon—some states reinstate voting rights after fulfilling a judicially imposed sentence
ID requirements—many states offer free identification cards

12. Institutional Barriers to Voting
Difficulty of absentee voting—anyone can vote absentee now
Workday, non-holiday voting—many states have early voting now
Number of elections—many races are held on the same election day to cut down on costs and number of times we need to participate in an election

13. Voter Turnout Putnam, “Bowling Alone” What is social capital?
Explain the phenomenon of the decline in social capital. Examples?
Why are Americans “bowling alone”?
Do you think a decline in “social capital” and a related decline in voter turnout threatens American democracy? In other words, does low voter turnout matter?

14. Political Knowledge

15. Political Knowledge

16. Political Knowledge

17. process and/or civic duty?
What are other
ways that citizens
might engage
in the political
process and/or civic duty?