Gov CH 8 Political Participation and Voting

A series of experiments conducted by political scientists Donald Green and Alan Gerber demonstrate the importance of _______________ _____________ for mobilizing voters

personal contact

Mobilization

the process by which large numbers of people are organized for a political activity

Suffrage

the right to vote

Political participation can fall into two major categories:

traditional political participation and online digital political participation.

Throughout American history, there has been a progressive, if uneven, expansion of suffrage to groups previously denied suffrage, such as

African Americans, women, and youths

Explain the effect of electoral laws on voting

As stipulated by the Constitution, states retain control of voter registration and voting. In practice, there is wide variation in the laws governing elections and voting from state to state. Registration requirements and other barriers, such as ID requirements and restrictions on the voting rights of people convicted of a felony, are estimated to reduce participation. States have experimented with reforms, such as automatic registration, same-day registration, home voting, and early voting, to make it easier to vote.

is a drawback to digital participation?

Digital participation can unintentionally create forums for hate speech.

Which of the following best describes how the unique rules for presidential elections affect voter turnout?

General-election voter turnout is usually higher in battleground states, where campaigns do the most work mobilizing voters.??????

Research suggests that digital politics does have an impact on participation, and new forms, like

expressive politics, such as the sharing of hashtags and symbolic profile pictures

those who do not participate are more likely to lack

a college education and to have a lower income

gender gap

a distinctive pattern of voting behavior reflecting the differences in views between women and men

Understanding patterns of political participation for different racial and ethnic groups is critical, why?

as their turnout often decides which party wins control of government

What techniques is considered most effective in mobilizing voters

face-to-face contact

Evaluating the results of several get-out-the-vote drives shows that ____-__-____ interaction with a canvasser greatly increased the chances that the person contacted would go to the polls, boosting overall voter turnout by almost ______ percent.

face-to-face; 10%

The ongoing significance of gender issues in American politics are best exemplified by the _______ _________ and the increase in the number of women holding public office.

gender gap

The diversity of national backgrounds among Asian Americans has impeded the development of ____________-_______ _______ ________

group-based political power

Black Americans tend to vote at _____ rates, and typically vote for ________ candidates

high; Democratic

Ballot measures and competitive elections, which result in active campaigns and more information, lead to ___________ voter turnout

higher

One of the most significant patterns in political participation is that older people have much ________ rates of participation than young people. Why?

higher; they are more likely to own homes and pay property taxes, which makes them more aware of the importance of government

Laws that restrict the voting rights of people convicted of a felony disproportionately affect

racial minorities.

Common forms of traditional political participation are

voting, protest, and volunteering or fund-raising for a campaign

The digital divide refers to

the gap between those citizens with and those without internet access.

Describe the major forms of participation in politics.

Political participation refers to a wide range of activities designed to influence government, politics, and policy. It includes not just voting in elections but also engaging in protest; attending campaign events; and donating to, volunteering for, or advocating for candidates in any number of ways, whether in person or online. Voting is the most common form of participation in politics, but America's overall rate of voter turnout is relatively low. Digital media have become an effective tool for fostering mobilization and political participation, as they engage individuals who may not otherwise be involved and they make traditional forms of participation easier, more immediate, and more personalized. However, digital media may also contribute to the circulation of misinformation and the intensification of ideological polarization.

White Americans are the largest portion of the electorate and vote at similar, if slightly higher, rates as Black Americans. White Americans are more likely to vote for _________ ___________.

Republican candidates

Describe the patterns of participation among major demographic groups

Socioeconomic status, age, race and ethnicity, gender, and religious affiliation are associated with different levels and types of political participation. Generally speaking, Whites, older people, women, and those with higher levels of education and income vote most dependably. Recent elections have seen upward trends in turnout for African Americans, Latinos and Latinas, and young people, all of whom are more likely to support Democratic candidates.

Such activities as contacting political officials, attending campaign events and rallies, or volunteering to work on a campaign, citizens can communicate much more detailed information to public officials than they can by voting, thus making these other political activities often more satisfying. So then why is the percentage of the population that participates in ways other than voting is relatively low?

These forms of political action generally require more time, effort, and/or money than voting.

Explain the factors that influence voter turnout.

Three general factors in the political environment influence whether individuals vote or not: mobilization efforts, electoral competition, and the presence or absence of state-level ballot initiatives. People who are mobilized by candidate campaigns and political parties are more likely to vote than people who are not reached by mobilization efforts. In competitive elections, turnout is higher because individuals have more opportunities to become interested in and informed about the races as candidates campaign to get their message out. People also make the effort to vote when ballot measures address issues that are important to them.

Political participation refers to

a wide range of activities designed to influence government.

what is the most common way average Americans participate in politics outside of voting

digital participation

Another barrier to voting is the requirement that voters provide proof of ___. Recent adoption of voter ID laws in many states has ________ turnout rates, especially for racial minorities, the elderly, and people with low income or disabilities—all of whom disproportionately lack government IDs.

identity; reduced

Digital participation reproduces some of the inequalities of offline life, but candidates have found campaigning online extremely attractive because

it is cost-effective and reaches a wide audience

Two primary reasons young people don't vote are that they

lack an interest in politics or have not been mobilized to participate (less likely to be contacted by political campaigns)

For many years, political analysts called the Hispanic vote "the sleeping giant" because Latinxs, while accounting for a ________ portion of the U.S. population, as a group had relatively ______ levels of political participation

large; low

Though the United States now has a system of universal suffrage, voter turnout continues to be

low

Turnout in midterm elections is usually 20 points (blank) than in presidential elections

lower

For much of American history, political parties and social movements relied on personal contact to mobilize voters. During the nineteenth century, party ______________ employed hundreds of thousands of workers to bring __________ ____ _______ _________, resulting in very _____ turnout rate, typically more than 90 percent of eligible voters

machines; voters to the polls; high

There are concerns, however, that social media and digital politics are more susceptible to

misinformation, propaganda, and outside interference

However, beginning with the 2008 campaign, Barack Obama's expansion of the electorate through ___________________ became a central campaign strategy.

mobilization

One critical aspect of political environments is _________________ by parties, candidates, interest groups, or social movements. People are much more likely to participate when _______________________________________________________.

mobilization; someone— especially someone they know—asks them to get involved

Digital political participation influences government by using the internet, including

mobilizing support through email, visiting candidate websites, and campaigning on social networking sites, and signing online petitions.

One of the most common reasons people in the United States give for not voting is that they are ____ ______________. Young people especially are less likely to register to vote than are older Americans, in part because they tend to __________ _____________ more often.

not registered; change residences

Political Environment

social setting, friends and family, where they live, what organizations they belong to

Americans with a high ____________ status are much more likely to participate in politics than those with less education and less income

socioeconomic

But party machines began to decline in _____________ at the beginning of the twentieth century. By the late twentieth century, political parties had become essentially ___________________ and __________________ _____________ rather than mobilizers of people. Without __________ __________ to encourage them to go to the polls, many eligible voters will ______ _________

strength; fundraising; advertising organizations party workers; not participate

Some of today's most divisive political conflicts (such as ________) hinge on differing religious and moral beliefs

such as those over abortion, contraceptives, and LGBTQ rights

Low voter turnout coupled with unequal participation rates can result in

the election of candidates who do not reflect the interests of most citizens, government policies that benefit wealthy voters over the middle and lower classes, and lower trust in government.

State electoral laws regarding registration requirements, restrictions for people who have committed a felony, permanent absentee ballots, and early voting can affect participation. Which increases/decreases voter turn out?

the first 2 decrease and the last 2 help increase voter turnout (although its not clear if early voting actually helps increase participation)

permanent absentee ballots

the option in some states to have a ballot sent automatically to your home for each election, rather than having to request an absentee ballot each time

When it comes to voting, African Americans

who feel a shared sense of collective identity are more likely to vote.