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American POL: Political Participation day 1

Terms in this set (23)

Alexis de Tocqueville
-19th century French sociologist/political scientist
-wrote Democracy in America
Alexis de Tocqueville argued that American are constantly forming associations which helps...
-deal with community problems outside of gov.
-restricts tyranny of the majority
Robert Putnam's "Bowling Alone" says that
-Americans civic engagement has declined
-social capital has declined
what is social capital?
interpersonal trust and civic engagement
social capital is related to? and what is it connected with?
-civic virtue: active in the community/ local groups to work for the public good
-connected to voter turnout
what is social capital good for?
Good for economic development, educational attainment, low crime rates, better government performance
what is the voter turnout in America
comparatively low turnout among democratic nations
-In presidential elections: approximately 87% of registered voters on average turnout
what is the percent of Voting age population?
49-60% voting age population (VAP)
-everyone 18 and older is US
what is the percent of voting eligible population?
-53-64% voting eligible population VEP
-everyone 18 and older eligible to vote
who is not eligible?
non-citizens and felons (depending on the state)
Non-citizen population of the United States between 1972 and 2004?
-1972: less than 2% of VAP
-2004: about 8.5% of VAP
what happened between 1968 and 2008?
Increased incarceration rates---->more felons
More immigration (non-citizens)
In midterm elections voter turn out is...
Turn out is lower than in presidential elections
In midterm elections what happens to the president party's seats?
it loses seats
what are the reasons for decline in turnout?
-decline is social capital
-change in campaign strategy
-weakened parties and mobilization: candidate-centered campaign, weakening of partisanship and split-ticket voting
what is voter mobilization?
mobilizing support and getting out the vote
How to candidates do voter mobilization?
-create tv advertisements
-"get out the vote" (GOTV) Election Day activities such as micro-targeting and crafting massages to the voter
what GOTV efforts are more effective?
-leaflets, direct mail, and recorded phone calls(not effective)
-door-to-door canvassing works
why is turnout in US so low?
-voter fatigue
-weak political parties
-barriers to registering and voting: some countries automatically register ppl and voter ID laws.
demographic factors: gender
women vote more than men, and account for a majority of the electorate
what was the councilman's name that came to class?
Ron Nirenberg
what city council is the councilman part of?
district 8
what does the district the councilman represents include?
alamo area metropolitan UTSA
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