3. Clicker Question
Do you believe it is right to participate
in a political protest if you are
dissatisfied with the policies of our
government?
a. Yes
b. No
4. Clicker Question
Have you participated in a political
protest because you were
dissatisfied with the policies of our
government?
a. Yes
b. No
5. Clicker Question
Do you believe it is a problem that
citizens with lower incomes and
less education are significantly less
likely to participate in politics?
a. Yes
b. No
6. Clicker Question
Do you think the policies enacted by
our elected representatives would
be different if EVERYONE voted?
a. Yes
b. No
7. Clicker Question
The Constitution was amended to
allow women the right to vote in all
public elections in:
a. 1870
b. 1885
c. 1920
d. 1948
9. Key Terms
Suffrage – The right to vote. USAGE: Women
were extended suffrage in _____.
Franchise – ALSO, the right to vote…or the
group of people who have the right to vote.
USAGE: In America the franchise includes all
adults _____ or older.
10. Political Participation
Political participation refers to a wide range of
activities designed to
influence government.
Today, voting is the typical form of participation,
although political participation also includes
activities like petitioning, protesting, and
campaigning.
11. Types of Participation
Voting – Casting a vote, campaign contributions,
sign posting, etc.
Lobbying - Exerting direct pressure on elected
officials.
Public Relations – An effort to sway public opinion
on behalf of an issue or cause.
Litigation – Using the courts to seek relief or effect
some type of change
Protest – Assembling crowds to confront a
government or other official organization.
13. Clicker Question
What is your view of the protests in NYC
and other cities focusing on economic
inequalities and the roll of money in
politics (Occupy Wall Street)?
a. Very Favorable
b. Somewhat Favorable
c. Somewhat Unfavorable
d. Very Unfavorable
14. Clicker Question
The most recent expansion of the
franchise in the United States took
place in 1971, when the:
a. Motor Voter Act was passed
b. poll tax was abolished
c. Supreme Court struck down
white primaries
d. voting age was reduced from
twenty-one to eighteen
17. Clicker Question
Which country has higher voter
turnout than the United States?
a. Mexico
b. Germany
c. Italy
d. All of the above
18. %
%
%
%
%
%
%
%
%
%
%
Argentina
Voter Turnout Around the World
Australia
Austria
Belgium
Bolivia
Brazil
Canada
Chile
Denmark
Domican Republic
Ecuador
Finland
Average =
France 70%
Germany
Greece
Iceland
Ireland
Italy
Luxembourg
Mexico
Netherlands
Norway
Peru
Portugal
Spain
Sweden
Switzerland
Thailand
Turkey
United Kingdom
United States
Venezuela
23. The Calculus of Voting
(Why is Turnout so HIGH?)
R = pB − C + D
R = the reward gained from voting in a given
election
p = probability of vote “mattering”
B = Benefit of voting--differential benefit of one
candidate winning over the other
C = Costs of voting (time/effort spent)
D = citizen duty, goodwill feeling, psychological and
civic benefit of voting
24. Who Does Vote?
Both the decision to vote and particular voting
behavior is associated with a number of
demographic factors.
What factors predict voting behavior?
Income
Education
Age
Race/Ethnicity
Gender
Strength of Partisanship
27. Why is Turnout So Low?
Demographics – Expansion of groups traditionally associated
with low voting rates – Young, African Americans, Latinos.
Barriers to Voting – Only 2/3 of eligible voters were
registered during the past 3 decades. (Motor Voter 1993)
Lack of Attractive Choices – Because we only have 2 parties
it becomes an either/or situation.
Too Much Complexity – Too much time and effort is involved
in being informed because we vote on almost everything.
Voter Fatigue – Americans vote far more often than people in
parliamentary regimes – The only country that votes more
than the US is Switzerland.
Citizen Disaffection – Poor candidates and contentious or
negative campaigning may have kept people away from
the polling booths – Apathy, Cynicism, Alienation.
28. Clicker Question
Would you support expanding
the electorate to those between
the ages of 16 and 18?
a. YES
b. NO
30. Clicker Question
Reasons:
-Can’t join the military; not legal adults
-Not mature enough
-Uneducated
-May not understand the complexity - Not sophisticated
enough to make reasonable decisions
-No jobs – Politics Doesn’t Affect them…
-They wouldn’t vote anyway
-Would vote frivolously
-Not enough “at stake” – Too dependent on parents
31. Clicker Question
Do you believe that
POOR/WORKING CLASS people are
sometimes PURPOSEFULLY
disenfranchised?
a. YES
b. NO
32. Clicker Question
The “Calculus of Voting” suggests that
people will only vote if the ___________
outweigh the __________.
a. Democrats, Republicans
b. Issues, Laziness
c. Benefits, Costs
d. Costs, Benefits
33. Clicker Question
Joe walks into his voting station and the
election judge asks him which party's
ballot he would like to vote on today.
Joe is in
a)a closed primary state.
b)an open primary state.
c)a caucus state.
d)a dictatorship.
34. Types of Elections
Primary Election – Elections held to select a party’s
candidate for the general election.
OPEN primary – A primary election in which the voter
can wait until the day of the primary to choose which
party to enroll in to select candidates for the general
election.
CLOSED primary – A primary election in which voters
can only participate in the nomination of candidates
if they are formally enrolled as a member of that
party for a period of time prior to the primary day.
