| American Government |
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| Sections: Introduction | Section 1 | Section 2 | Section 3 | Section 4 |
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Government : Political Participation : Section Four Individual political participation So – why is it so important to vote? The 2000 presidential election did an excellent job at showing us that every vote really does count, but we still see a very small percentage of voting age citizens placing ballots on Election Day. In 2004, only 54.2% of eligible voters cast ballots in the presidential election. Since recent elections have been very close, we have to wonder if the results would have been different if more votes would have been cast. 
In order for our nation to be a true democracy, it is important for citizens to vote. A democracy is a government by and for the people. If the people do not have their voices heard, than how democratic is our government? Because of this, all eligible citizens need to realize the importance of casting a ballot. The likelihood for someone to vote is often determined by several factors, including his/her age, gender, race, education, and income level. For example, women are generally more likely to vote than men, whites are more likely to vote than minorities, and those with a higher education level are more likely to vote than those with little education. Age is also a major factor. Young people – those in the 18 – 24 year age group – are the least likely to vote of all age groups. Senior citizens, generally those over 65, are the most likely to vote. Because of this, recent movements over the past decade have been made to get young people registered to vote, and to get them to the polls on Election Day. In 1992, MTV began its Rock the Vote campaign to get young people to vote. They used MTV air time to show a presidential debate, and had rock stars do commercials about the importance of voting. The 1992 presidential election did see a higher turnout among young voters, and saw an incumbent president defeated and Bill Clinton take office, but the results were not as good as many people would like. Youth voting rates are still very low.
Voting is just one way that citizens can get involved in the political process, and it is definitely the easiest. All it takes is registering (required in most states) and a trip to the polls on Election Day. Other forms of political participation include getting involved in a candidate’s campaign, protesting for or against a cause, and becoming a member of an interest group. An interest group is an organization whose members have a common political goal and they seek to influence governmental policy. Those that join interest groups are generally very passionate about the issue and devote their time and energy to the passage of legislation that supports their cause. There are many different interest groups in the United States. Click here to view a list of some of the many interest groups. This information will be included on the quiz and test. Interest groups use a variety of techniques to achieve their goals. They may take actions such as testifying in a meeting of a Congressional committee, researching and providing information to legislators, contributing to or assisting with political campaigns, or evaluating the voting records of legislators. They may also work at the grassroots level and try to persuade voters to support candidates that support their issues. The value of interest groups is controversial. Although they help legislators do their job, they are also known to “buy” votes by providing financial support to candidates and government officials. Although this is immoral, it does happen. Although there are ethical questions about interest groups, they do provide citizens with other opportunities to get involved in the world of politics. Rights and Responsibilities Besides voting, there are both rights and responsibilities to uphold. While most are aware of their rights under the United States Constitution, responsibilities typically refer to: These responsibilities help maintain a lawful and democratic society. Citizens are expected to respect each other through participating in public affairs and respect each other regardless of ethnicity, religion, or race. Certain rights have been codified over the years to ensure that citizens are viewed equally under the law. The belief that individuals must respect each other is a cornerstone of the American democratic tradition. To view a copy of the first 10 amendments, or Bill of Rights, click here: The Constitution makes a “guarantee to every State in this Union a Republican form of Government” in Article IV. By Republican, the framers of the Constitution were referring to the ideals of an American Republic. These ideals include a citizen’s right to “life, liberty, and the pursuit of happiness.” American society is unique because we are a nation comprised of people from every corner of the world. Some may argue that the only true Americans are Native Americans. Nevertheless, in this day and age, all American citizens are guaranteed personal rights (the first 10 amendments), political rights (voting), and economic rights (labor laws).
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Discussion 3 – Why is voting an essential part of a democracy? Why are voter turnout numbers so low? Why do younger people tend to vote less often than older people? What do you think can be done to increase voter turnout, especially among younger voters?
Before taking the section quiz, let’s play a game to review the various interest groups we’ve learned about in this section.
Now it’s time to take the quiz on section 4.
Once you’ve completed all activities in this unit, study the materials and complete the Unit 7 exam.