1. Public Opinion, Participation, and Voting

2. What is significant about public opinion and polling?

3. Polling
Sampling
Margin of Error
Questions
Results

4. Intensity
How strongly people feel about an issue.

5. Intensity

6. SALIENCY
The extent to which people believe issues are relevant to them

7. Saliency

8. Latency
Political opinions that exist but have no been fully expressed, yet are still important and may be aroused by leaders and converted into political action.

9. LATENCY

10. Soclialization

11. Public Opinion Shapes Policy

12. Political/Social Awareness
Attentive Public
Nonevoters
Political know-nothings
Part-time citizens (roughly 40 percent)

13. 2000 election

14. Voting Changes
Origninally left to individual states/property ownership
All white male
Women /Miinorities
18 yrs old.

15. Voting Rights Act: 1965 Banned literacy tests
Eased registration requirements
Allowed federal registrars where discrimination ignored standards

16. Voter Registration
Voter registration required to vote (except North Dakota)
Federal law--Cannot stop registration until 30 days before

17. Discriminatory?

18. Motor Voter

19. General Elections
Elect office holders, vote on issues.

20. Primary Elections

21. Special Elections

22. Presidential Elections

23. Mid Term Elections

24. Off Year Elections

25. Political Apathy

26. Voter Preferences

27. Candidate Appeal

28. Issues