1. Participation

2. What are all of the ways you can participate in politics?

3. Participation, PS 125 (Fall 08) Registered to vote 82% Voted in an election 44% Worn a campaign button 24% Put a campaign sticker on your car 8% Go to any political meeting, rally, speech 38% Give money to a candidate 6% Give money to a party or other political group 4% Tried to persuade someone to vote for a party or candidate 68%

4. Why is participation important?

5. Why don’t some people participate?

6. Probability of voting = Benefit - Cost

7. Rational calculations? (Would you give up the right to vote forever for…?) An IPOD Touch 2% Free college tuition 40% A million dollars 44%

8. Voter Turnout, 2004 & 2008

9. What makes a person more likely to vote? Higher Education Higher Education Why? Why? More interest in politics (higher benefit) More interest in politics (higher benefit) More background information to understand politics, and skills to get through the registration and voting process (lower costs) More background information to understand politics, and skills to get through the registration and voting process (lower costs)

10. Effect of education on turnout (2008 data)

11. What makes a person more likely to vote? Higher Education Higher Education Higher Income Higher Income Why? Why? Free time (lower costs) Free time (lower costs) Stake in community (taxes etc.— higher benefit) Stake in community (taxes etc.— higher benefit)

12. Effect of income on turnout, 2008

13. Effect of race on turnout? (2008)

14. What makes a person more likely to vote? Higher Education Higher Education Higher Income / more resources Higher Income / more resources Lack of language/cultural barriers Lack of language/cultural barriers

15. Effect of citizenship on turnout

16. What makes a person more likely to vote? Higher Education Higher Education Higher Income / more resources Higher Income / more resources Lack of language/cultural barriers Lack of language/cultural barriers Easy registration Easy registration

17. Effect of Registration laws on turnout (2004 data)

18. So why don’t young people vote? 2004 and 2008 turnout rates

19. Newspaper readership, 2004

20. Newspaper readership, by age

21. What makes a person more likely to vote? Higher Education Higher Education Higher Income / more resources Higher Income / more resources Lack of language/cultural barriers Lack of language/cultural barriers Easy registration Easy registration Interest Interest Social Connectedness Social Connectedness

22. What makes a person more likely to vote? Social connectedness Social connectedness Why? Why? Learn civic skills in a group (lower costs) Learn civic skills in a group (lower costs) Feel responsibility to a particular community (higher benefit) Feel responsibility to a particular community (higher benefit) Group norms (higher social benefit) Group norms (higher social benefit)

23. Effect of marriage on turnout, 2008

24. Effect of residency on turnout

25. Effect of home ownership on turnout

26. What does a healthy democracy really need? Do you think the system will be biased against people who don’t participate? Do you think the system will be biased against people who don’t participate? So who might the system be biased against? So who might the system be biased against? Does that make for a healthy democracy? Does that make for a healthy democracy? Or maybe democracy can be enhanced through other kinds of participation… Or maybe democracy can be enhanced through other kinds of participation…

27. What is social capital? The norms and trust that develop from interpersonal social relationships The norms and trust that develop from interpersonal social relationships A byproduct of other activities, not something created on its own A byproduct of other activities, not something created on its own

28. Putnam’s evidence for declining social capital Membership in PTA, League of Women Voters, Elks Clubs and the like have declined 25-50% in the last 25 years. Membership in PTA, League of Women Voters, Elks Clubs and the like have declined 25-50% in the last 25 years. Bowling leagues and sports leagues have less participation Bowling leagues and sports leagues have less participation People spend up to 25% less time socializing with friends than they did in 1965. People spend up to 25% less time socializing with friends than they did in 1965. Church attendance is down 15-30%. Church attendance is down 15-30%. Attending Club Meetings down 58% Attending Club Meetings down 58% Family dinners down 33% Family dinners down 33% Having friends over down 45% Having friends over down 45%

29. Why the decline of social capital?

31. What are ways we can build social capital?

32. What do we really need if we want more people to participate? Do we want more people to participate??