Political Participation

• Two Types of Political Participation:

– Conventional Participation

• Voting

• Letter writing

• Contact with Representatives

• Working on Campaigns

• Campaign Contributions

– Unconventional Participation

• Boycotts, Sit-ins, Marches, Demonstrations, Violence

Expanding Suffrage

Constitutional Amendments:

• 15 (1870) = Race

• 19 (1920) = Sex

• 23 (1961) = Residents of DC can vote for President but not Congress

• 24 (1964) = Poll tax

• 26 (1971) = 18 years old, changes from 21

Voting Trends

• Initially, suffrage changes resulted in increased participation, but recently the lower proportion of voter turnout = the vanishing electorate

• High of around 60% in Presidential elections -- 50% in midterm -- even lower in local elections

– US is very low compared with other modern industrial countries (as well as child poverty, infant mortality, literacy)

Voter Turnout in Various Countries

Reasons for Limited Participation

• Registration can be difficult

• There are many elections in the United States

• Election Day (Tuesday, work day)

• Voters don't view any of the candidates as attractive choices (voter apathy)

• People believe they gain few personal benefits to themselves from voting.

• Political parties are weaker and less able to rouse people to vote than in the past

Demographic Factors and Voter Turnout Graph