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Political participation

Activities intended to influence government action directly or indirectly

Conventional political participation

Voting, donating, campaigning, contacting officials

Unconventional political participation

Protests, boycotts, civil disobedience

Voter turnout in the United States

Lower than most other democratic countries

Why voter turnout matters

Government responds to voters, not nonvoters

Get-Out-The-Vote (GOTV)

Efforts to increase voter turnout

Most effective GOTV method

Personal, face-to-face contact

Education and voting

Higher education increases likelihood of voting

Income and voting

Higher income increases voting, but education explains much of the effect

Age and voting

Older Americans vote at higher rates

Race and voting

Structural barriers affect turnout rates

Political efficacy

Belief that one’s participation matters and government listens

Effect of political efficacy

Higher efficacy increases likelihood of voting

15th Amendment

Prohibits racial discrimination in voting

19th Amendment

Grants women the right to vote

23rd Amendment

Gives Washington DC electoral votes

24th Amendment

Outlaws poll taxes

26th Amendment

Lowers voting age to 18

Texas voter ID law

Requires approved photo identification to vote

Effect of voter ID laws

Reduce turnout, especially among minorities and low-income voters

Motor Voter Act

Allows voter registration at DMV and public assistance offices

Effect of Motor Voter

Increased registration but limited turnout increase

Closing date for voter registration

Last day to register before an election (Texas is about 30 days)

Election Day registration

Registering and voting on the same day (Texas does not allow)

Early voting in Texas

Any registered voter may vote early for any reason

Length of early voting in Texas

12 days

Absentee voting in Texas

Limited to specific eligibility such as age or disability

Prospective voting

Voting based on future promises of candidates

Retrospective voting

Voting based on past performance of incumbents

Rational abstention thesis

People do not vote because costs outweigh perceived benefits

Primary election

Election used to select party nominees

Caucus

Local party meeting used to select delegates

General election

Election used to choose officeholders

Open primary

Voters may choose which party’s primary to vote in

Closed primary

Only registered party members may vote

Texas primary system

Open primary

Crossing over

Voting in the other party’s primary

Raiding

Crossing over to vote for a weak opposing candidate

Invisible primaries

Pre-announcement period when candidates test viability

Delegates

Individuals who formally nominate presidential candidates

Superdelegates

Party elites who are not chosen by voters

Why superdelegates are controversial

They reduce voter influence

Sequential primaries

Early states influence momentum and media coverage

Frontloading

States moving primaries earlier to gain influence

Super Tuesday

Day when many states including Texas hold primaries

Proportional representation

Delegates awarded based on vote share

Winner-take-all

All delegates awarded to the winning candidate

Party convention

Event where parties formally nominate candidates

Party platform

Official statement of party policy positions

Electoral College

Body that formally elects the president

Electoral votes per state

House seats plus Senate seats

Winner-take-all rule

Not required by the Constitution

Where electors meet

In their state capitals

Faithless electors

Electors who vote against their pledge

Certification of electoral votes

Congress counts and certifies electoral votes

Two-party system

System dominated by two major political parties

Duverger’s Law

Plurality elections with single-member districts produce two parties

Political party

Organization that nominates candidates and seeks to govern

Party in the electorate

Voters who identify with a party

Party organization

Formal party structure such as the RNC or DNC

Party in government

Elected officials affiliated with a party

Interest group

Organization that seeks to influence policy but does not run candidates

Difference between parties and interest groups

Parties run candidates; interest groups do not

Purposive benefits

Satisfaction from supporting a cause

Solidary incentives

Social benefits from group membership

Economic benefits

Material benefits gained through policy

Free rider problem

People benefit without contributing

Selective benefits

Benefits given only to members

Pluralist theory

Competing groups prevent domination

Elite theory

Wealthy interests dominate policy

Interest group strategies

Lobbying, donations, litigation, mobilization

Ross Perot

Third-party candidate who won 19 percent of the vote in 1992

Ralph Nader (2000)

Green Party candidate often viewed as a spoiler

Party identification

Psychological attachment to a political party

Independents

Many lean toward one major party

UH lobbying 2019

Secured funding for a University of Houston medical school

UH lobbying 2023

New higher education endowment approved by voters