Chapter 6

The Individual in Democratic Government

 Figure 6.1 Public Participation in Politics, a Hierarchy
of Influence
Run for Office Less than 1%
Protestors Uncertain
Attend Public Meetings 3-20%
Initiative & Ref. 20-50% in western states
(Direct Democracy)
Vote for
Elected Offices
(Indirect Democracy)
10-60% depending
on type of election
Increased Impact on Policy

Non Participants

Apart from Presidential

Elections > 60%
 Forms of Public Participation

• Voting
• Talk about politics
• Organizations
• Attending public meetings
• Contributions
• Communicating with representatives
• Campaigning
• Initiating and repealing laws
– Initiative and referendum
• Seeking public office
 Figure 6.1
States With Referendum
NH
WA

MT VT ME
ND
OR MN
MA
ID WI NY
SD
WY MI
RI
IA PA CT
NE
OH NJ
NV
UT IL IN
CA CO WV DE
KS VA
MO
KY

NC MD
TN
AZ OK
NM AR SC

GA
MS AL

TX LA

AK
FL

HI States with Referendum

 Figure 6.2
States With Initiative
NH
WA

MT VT ME
ND

OR
MN MA
ID WI NY
SD
WY MI
RI

IA PA CT
NE
OH NJ
NV
UT IL IN
CA CO WV DE
KS VA
MO
KY

NC MD
TN
AZ OK
NM AR SC

GA
MS AL

TX LA

AK
FL

HI
No Initiative
Initiative for Statutes
Initiative for Constitution
Initiative for Statutes and Constitution
 PARTICIPATION

• UNCOMMON

• PARTICIPANTS NOT
REPRESENTATIVE OF POPULATION
 Table 6.6
Texas Voting Age and Voting Eligible Population 16%

lig ible 16%

in ge 16%

t vot 16%
n o
not 15%
ut
le b
16%
b
ligi
14%
e e 14%
ag
nt
rce 13%
Pe 12%
11%
10%
8% 9%
7%
6%
5%

Voting eligible

Ineligible felon
Non-citizen
 Figure 6.8
Percent Voting Age Population Turnout in Presidential Elections 2010-2013
 Figure 6.10
VAP Turnout Correlations Non-Presidential Election Years

2014 2010 2006 2002 1998 1994 1990 1986 1982

2014 .82 .69 .74 .69 .51 .65 .53 .37

2010 .83 .83 .80 .67 .66 .60 .56

2006 .82 .78 .84 .66 .64 .68

2002 .84 .77 .76 .73 .59

1998 .77 .81 .73 .66

1994 .75 .81 .79

1990 .82 .55

1986 .59

1982
 Figure 6.11
Correlations With Turnout And Possible Causes 2014
Voting Age Voting Eligible
Conservative Ideology -.09 -.16
Moderate and Liberal Ideology .15 .12
Percent Senate Republican 2013 -.07 -.12
Percent House Republican 2013 -.03 -.09
Median Age of Population .30 .26
High School Completion .63 .60
College Degree .18 .25
Per Capita Income .17 .23
Poverty Rate -.34 -.34
Percent Registered 2014 .60 .52
Percent Anglo Population .48 .38
Percent African American Population -.32 -.31
Percent Hispanic or Latino Population -.41 -.30
 EXPLANATIONS OF
NON-VOTING

• ALIENATION
• COST-BENEFIT
• SATISFACTION
Why do Americans vote less?

• Lack of party-group linkage

• Registration restrictions
• Non-compulsory voting
• Voter exhaustion
 Texas Turnout
• Why Don't Texans Vote?
– Political Socialization
• The institutions of socialization in Texas--family, schools,
churches, mass media, and others--do not encourage the
state’s children to be politically active.
• Texans are taught to accept the political system, not to
participate in it.
– The political party system
• Voter turnout tends to be higher in those states where
political parties are more competitive and better organized.
• While party competition in the South, including Texas, has
increased in recent years as the Republican party has become
more active, parties in Texas remain weak and voting levels
are still below the rates that prevail in the rest of the country.
• One party system, districts are gerrymandered to favor
incumbents
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FACTORS ASSOCIATED WITH TURNOUT

• SOCIOECONOMIC STATUS
• INTERPARTY COMPETITION
• TRADITION/CULTURE
• LEGAL REQUIREMENTS
• ELECTION ISSUES
 VOTING LAWS IN TEXAS

• WHITE PRIMARY
• POLL TAX
• REGISTRATION BARRIERS
VOTING RIGHTS FOR RACIAL MINORITIES

• 15TH AMENDMENT
• WHITE PRIMARY
• LITERACY TEST
• GRANDFATHER CLAUSE
• REGISTRATION BARRIERS
– POLL TAX
– UNEQUAL APPLICATION
 VOTING RIGHTS
• CIVIL RIGHTS ACT 1964

• VOTING RIGHTS ACT 1965,

1970, 1975, 1982, 2006
 Sample Questions from a Literacy Test
State of Louisiana
One wrong answer denotes failure of the test. (10 min)
1. Draw a line around the number or letter of this sentence.
2. Draw a line under the last word in this line.
3. Cross out the longest word in this line.
4. Draw a line around the shortest word in this line.
5. Circle the first, first letter of the alphabet in this line.
6. In the space below draw three circles, one inside the other.
7. Above the letter X make a small cross.
8. Draw a line through the letter below that comes earliest in the
alphabet. ZVSEDGMKYTPHC
9. Draw a line through the letter below that comes last in the alphabet.
ZVSEDGMKYTPHC
10. In the space below write the word noise backwards and place a dot
over what would be its second letter should it have been written
forward.
11. Give your age in days.