American Government & Civic engagement:

Political Engagement Among Different Age Groups

  • Older Americans are significantly more engaged in politics compared to younger Americans.

  • Americans under the age of 30 exhibit lower levels of partisan political engagement.

  • Young Americans (under 30) are more likely to participate in community service rather than in partisan politics.

  • Data from 2015 indicates that young Americans were more likely to identify as independents than as members of the Democratic or Republican parties.

Participation Rates in Elections

  • Voter turnout rates differ between age groups:

    • Older Americans (60 years and older): 70% participation in the 2016 Presidential Election.

    • Younger Americans (18 to 29 years old): 42% to 43% participation in the same election.

  • Voter turnout trends show larger participation in Presidential elections compared to midterm elections:

    • Older demographic:

    • 2016 Presidential Election: 70% turnout

    • Previous midterm year: 55% turnout

    • Younger demographic:

    • Highest participation (in February): nearly 50%

    • Midterm cycle: dropped to about 20%, indicating only 1 in 5 younger people voted in midterm elections.

Reasons for Low Engagement in Midterm Elections

  • Midterm elections typically see lower voter turnout across all demographic segments compared to Presidential elections.

  • Upcoming midterm elections include:

    • Vote for the House of Representatives

    • Vote for the US Senate

    • Florida Governor election

    • State House and State Senate elections

Factors Influencing Engagement

  • Factors that may predict individual likelihood to vote include:

    • Competitiveness of elections:

    • Higher likelihood of voting in swing states.

    • Local issues:

    • Interest in local city council meetings or specific community issues can drive people to vote.

    • Education:

    • More educated individuals tend to have higher participation rates in elections.

    • Socioeconomic class:

    • Wealthier individuals are more likely to vote; often overlap exists between wealth, education, and age.

    • Older individuals tend to be wealthier due to their accumulation of resources over time, which may enable their higher engagement.

Predictors of Political Opinions

  • The strongest predictor of an individual's political opinions is family background:

    • Children of Republican parents: 80% likely to identify as Republicans.

    • Children of Democratic parents: 80% likely to remain Democrats.

    • Splits in family ideology lead to more varied political identities among offspring, e.g., 25% each identifying as strongly Republican, strongly Democratic, or somewhere in between.

Video Segment on Low Midterm Election Participation

  • A video on midterm election participation highlights low turnout:

    • Current statistics review midterm elections showing that only 4 out of every 10 eligible voters participate.

    • Definition of an eligible voter: Must be at least 18 years old and a citizen of the United States.

  • Notable statistics on voter turnout from recent elections:

    • 2014 midterm election: Just over 36% of eligible voters participated (lowest turnout in 70 years).

    • 2010 midterm election: Just over 40% participation.

    • Midterm elections consistently see lower turnout compared to Presidential elections, where the 2008 election saw over 58% turnout.

  • Barriers to voting in midterms:

    • Apathy: Indifference towards midterms compared to high drama of Presidential elections.

    • Voting rules: Complexity of registration and voter ID laws inhibit participation.

    • 34 states require photo ID to vote, which can depress turnout, especially among minorities.

    • Time constraints: Many report being too busy to vote.

    • Disillusionment with candidates where a significant portion of non-voters express disdain for options available.

Trends in 2018 Midterm Elections

  • Political and civic engagement saw a small uptick in the 2018 midterms:

    • Older voter turnout reached around 58%.

    • Young voter turnout improved to approximately 33%-34%.

  • Engagement is influenced by many factors including election year, salient issues, leaders, and legislative agendas.

  • Emergence of trends linking education and wealth with voting Patterns:

    • More educated and wealthier voters participate more actively in elections and there are often overlaps with age demographics.

Political Affiliations Among Younger Demographics

  • Data indicates younger individuals self-identify as more liberal and as Democrats compared to Republicans.

  • Young Americans exhibit political views and issues aligned with liberal stances:

    • 2015 data showed Republican affiliation was 21%, whereas self-identified conservatives noted a rate of 32%.

Global Political Structures

  • Overview of global political systems:

    • Most countries are classified under representative democracy, though practice may not align with ideals.

    • Example: Russia is considered a representative democracy but lacks effective public impact on governance.

    • Comparison with oligarchies and monarchies; examples include:

    • Saudi Arabia, Morocco (Monarchies)

    • China, North Korea (Oligarchies)

Conclusion

  • Recap of key points from chapter one with an open floor for questions.