Political Participation: Activating the Popular Will Chapter 7

© 2011, The McGraw-Hill Companies, Inc. All Rights Reserved. Voter Participation Factors in voter turnout: the United States in comparative perspective Significantly lower turnout than European democracies Registration requirements Historically a means to limit suffrage Motor voter law © 2011, The McGraw-Hill Companies, Inc. All Rights Reserved.

Voter Turnout in Presidential Elections, 1960–2008 © 2011, The McGraw-Hill Companies, Inc. All Rights Reserved.

© 2011, The McGraw-Hill Companies, Inc. All Rights Reserved. Voter Participation Factors in voter turnout: the United States in comparative perspective Registration requirements Voter ID cards serve to depress voter turnout Georgia photo ID/voter identification card law Federal judge struck down monetary requirement Supreme Court upheld Indiana voter ID card requirement © 2011, The McGraw-Hill Companies, Inc. All Rights Reserved.

© 2011, The McGraw-Hill Companies, Inc. All Rights Reserved. Voter Participation Factors in voter turnout: the United States in comparative perspective Frequency of elections Elections at many levels of government, frequent and staggered Primary elections Americans asked to vote two or three times as often as Europeans © 2011, The McGraw-Hill Companies, Inc. All Rights Reserved.

Should Voters be Required to Carry a Government-Issued Photo ID? Pro: Voting fraud is widespread and detrimental All citizens will be assisted in getting IDs Con: Poor, elderly, and minorities will be disenfranchised Little documentation of voter fraud © 2011, The McGraw-Hill Companies, Inc. All Rights Reserved.

© 2011, The McGraw-Hill Companies, Inc. All Rights Reserved. Voter Participation Why some Americans vote and others do not Education and income Age Civic attitudes Apathy Alienation Civic duty © 2011, The McGraw-Hill Companies, Inc. All Rights Reserved.

Voter Turnout and Level of Income, 2008 © 2011, The McGraw-Hill Companies, Inc. All Rights Reserved.

American’s Opinions on Voting as a Duty, by Age © 2011, The McGraw-Hill Companies, Inc. All Rights Reserved.

Conventional Forms of Participation Other Than Voting Campaign and lobbying activities Virtual participation Political campaigns and citizen mobilization Democratizing effects but also political polarization Community activities Decline in social capital? © 2011, The McGraw-Hill Companies, Inc. All Rights Reserved.

Online Campaign Activities © 2011, The McGraw-Hill Companies, Inc. All Rights Reserved.

© 2011, The McGraw-Hill Companies, Inc. All Rights Reserved. Campaign Activity © 2011, The McGraw-Hill Companies, Inc. All Rights Reserved.

Unconventional Activism: Social Movements and Protest Politics Social movements: way for citizens disenchanted with government to express opposition and work for change they seek Political protests more planned today than in the past Political protests less common today, and low public support for protesters © 2011, The McGraw-Hill Companies, Inc. All Rights Reserved.

Participation and Potential for Influence Individualism diminishes political participation Lower-income Americans least likely to vote or participate politically; lack resources and education levels Participation reflects socioeconomic level © 2011, The McGraw-Hill Companies, Inc. All Rights Reserved.

© 2011, The McGraw-Hill Companies, Inc. All Rights Reserved. Protest Activity © 2011, The McGraw-Hill Companies, Inc. All Rights Reserved.

Americans’ Opinions of Iraq War Protest © 2011, The McGraw-Hill Companies, Inc. All Rights Reserved.