1. Political Participation Chapter 6
AP GOVERNMENT
Political Participation
Chapter 6

2. Nonvoting Problem: Low Voter Turnout
Only 2/3 of the voting age in the US register to vote
About 87% of the registered voters participated in the last election
TABLE 6.1

3. How to get people to register?
1993 Motor Voter Law
States must allow voter registration when getting a driver’s license
By mail
At local govt offices (post offices and welfare offices)
Not much of an impact on voting

4. Other factors… Voting is only one way of participating in politics
Americans COULD participate in politics MORE than most Europeans
Low registration could also mean most people are satisfied with how the country is governed (SILENT MAJORITY?)

5. Late 1700’s - only white, male, property owners or taxpayers
By all white males
1870 – all men (15th)
But not really until the 1960s b/c of literacy tests, poll taxes, no primary elections (South)
Illiterate and/or poor whites were protected by the Grandfather clause
1920 – women (19th)
1971 – 18 and older

6. Does voting patterns change with new members of the electorate?
AAs increased the number of voters after the Voting Rights Act of 1965
TABLE 6.2
Changed how white politicians campaigned
Women also increased the number of voters
However, didn’t really change the voting pattern

7. Voter Turnout
With new members of the electorate, voting turnout should increase…
However, turnout has declined
Figure 6.2
Is the decline fact or fiction?
Page 136 ( b/c of honest counting today)

8. Voting Fraud Australian Ballot Decreased voter fraud
Uniform and printed by the govt
Decreased voter fraud
Scholars see registration as the reason for voter turnout

9. Who participates in Politics?
Voting is the most common form
Giving $ and being a member of a political organization is the least common
People exaggerate their participation

10. Six Forms of Participation
22% of the population are completely inactive (rarely vote and don’t get involved)
Little education, low income
11% are activists (complete opposite)
High education, high income, older

11. Voting Specialists – only vote
Lower than average education and income, little older than average
Campaigners – vote and get involved
More educated than average, clear id with party, willingness to take strong position

12. Communalists – like campaigners but do not like conflict
Activities that are nonpartisan
Get involved/registration drives
6. Parochial Participants – do not vote and do not get involved in campaigns but will deal with specific problems

13. The Causes of Participation
Schooling
Religious involvement
Age
Not really race (b/c of schooling and income but when equal, AAs vote more than whites)