Identify the role of public opinion in democracies and the stability of core values. -

Identify the role of public opinion in democracies and the stability of core values.

NO TIME TO WRITE YOUR ASSIGNMENT? . PLACE AN ORDER WITH ASSIGNMENTS EXPERTS AND GET 100% ORIGINAL PAPERS

Navigation

Resorces

Policies

Other Links

We Accept

support@miverwritings.com

+1 425-998-2601

Government and Politics in the Lone Star State

Tenth Edition

Chapter 9

Political Socialization, Political Behavior, and Public Opinion

Learning Objectives

9.1 Identify the role of public opinion in democracies and the stability of core values.

9.2 Explain the process of acquiring views and attitudes and the dominant trends in political ideology in Texas.

9.3 Describe how group membership impacts political values and opinions in Texas.

9.4 Identify the manner in which opinion translates into political action.

9.5 Explain how public opinion is measured and how to interpret public opinion poll results.

Public Opinion and Core Values (1 of 4)

Role of Public Opinion in Democratic Governments and Society

Alexis de Tocqueville: Public opinion is the predominant authority in America, serving to make America a democracy.

James Madison, however, argued that conflict and disagreement in the political system are inevitable.

The question of how central should public opinion be in policymaking is debated.

Public Opinion and Core Values (2 of 4)

Role of Public Opinion in Democratic Governments and Society

Elitism

Pluralism

Public Opinion and Core Values (3 of 4)

Stability of Key Values

One key reason for U.S. political stability is broad agreement on key values, such as

Individualism

Personal liberty

Republican form of government

Political equality

Public Opinion and Core Values (4 of 4)

Stability of Key Values

Shifts are gradual and can be explained by cohort replacement, changing technology, and geographic mobility.

Rapid changes in public opinion take place around foreign policy issues.

Formation of Political Values and Opinions (1 of 3)

Political Ideology

A consistent set of values and beliefs about the proper purpose and scope of government

Liberals

Conservatives

Populists

Libertarians

Tea Party

Local Diversity

Although Texas is generally a conservative state, the capital is known for being liberal and eclectic. In fact, the city’s unofficial motto is “Keep Austin Weird.” When considering public opinion, one needs to look not only at broad trends in the state, but also at local cultures, as significant differences exist within the same state.

Formation of Political Values and Opinions (2 of 3)

Political Socialization

The conscious and unconscious transmission of political culture and values from one generation to another

Factors that influence the acquisition of political facts and the formation of values are called agents of socialization

Formation of Political Values and Opinions (3 of 3)

Agents of Socialization

Family

Schools

Peers and community

Media

Religion

Events

Journal 9.2

Do you think we should rely on schools to teach values, or should that be left to parents and families? What if parents are derelict in this duty? Who should teach children morals? What if the values of families differ from those of the school leadership? How do you think we can best balance these competing forces?

Group Membership and Public Opinion (1 of 7)

Crosscutting cleavages: How two or more factors work to influence an individual

Intersectionality: How these cleavages work to impact political opinions and behavior

Group Membership and Public Opinion (2 of 7)

Political Party and Public Opinion

One important predictor of public opinion is political party affiliation.

Partisan loyalties are often based on socioeconomic status.

Significant differences exist between self-identified partisans in Texas.

Differences also exist within political parties.

Table 9-1 Public Opinion of Texans on Select Public Policies by Party (1 of 2)

Texans who …	Democrat %	Independent %	Republican %
Strongly disapprove of the job performance of President Obama*	4	46	82
Support stricter gun control laws*	71	47	15
Strongly support immediate deportation of undocumented immigrants*	14	33	43
Support same-sex marriage*	65	46	24
Believe there is too much expression of religious beliefs by public officials*	47	29	9
Strongly support reducing the punishment for marijuana possession**	59	44	31
Strongly support making judicial bypass for an abortion for a minor more difficult**†	19	22	41

SOURCE: YouGov Texas Statewide Study, conducted at various intervals.

*November 2015 (Conducted October 30 to November 8, 2015; 1,200 registered voters, margin of error +/−3.3 adjusted for weighting)

**June 2015 (Conducted June 5 to June 14, 2015; 1,200 registered voters, margin of error +/−3.3 adjusted for weighting)

***February 2015 (Conducted February 6 to February 14, 2015; 1,200 registered voters, margin of error +/−3.3 adjusted for weighting)

† The Texas Parental Consent for Abortion Law requires one parent of an unmarried girl who is 17 or under give consent before an abortion can be performed. Judges can bypass this consent requirement in extraordinary situations or in the cases of medical emergencies.

++June 2016 (Conducted June 10–20, 2016; 1,200 registered voters, margin of error +/-2.83 adjusted for weighting)

Table 9-1 Public Opinion of Texans on Select Public Policies by Party (2 of 2)

Texans who …	Democrat %	Independent %	Republican %
Strongly support the death penalty***	32	50	63
Support having transgender students use the bathrooms of their gender at birth++	29	47	75
Strongly support a wall along Mexico border++	10	41	54
November 2015 (Conducted October 30 to November 8, 2015; 1,200 registered voters, margin of error +/−3.3 adjusted for weighting) June 2015 (Conducted June 5 to June 14, 2015; 1,200 registered voters, margin of error +/−3.3 adjusted for weighting) **February 2015 (Conducted February 6 to February 14, 2015; 1,200 registered voters, margin of error +/−3.3 adjusted for weighting) † The Texas Parental Consent for Abortion Law requires one parent of an unmarried girl who is 17 or under give consent before an abortion can be performed. Judges can bypass this consent requirement in extraordinary situations or in the cases of medical emergencies. ++June 2016 (Conducted June 10–20, 2016; 1,200 registered voters, margin of error +/-2.83 adjusted for weighting)

SOURCE: YouGov Texas Statewide Study, conducted at various intervals.

*November 2015 (Conducted October 30 to November 8, 2015; 1,200 registered voters, margin of error +/−3.3 adjusted for weighting)

**June 2015 (Conducted June 5 to June 14, 2015; 1,200 registered voters, margin of error +/−3.3 adjusted for weighting)

***February 2015 (Conducted February 6 to February 14, 2015; 1,200 registered voters, margin of error +/−3.3 adjusted for weighting)

++June 2016 (Conducted June 10–20, 2016; 1,200 registered voters, margin of error +/-2.83 adjusted for weighting)

Table 9-2 Public Opinion of Texans on Select Public Policies by Party, Including Tea Party Affiliation (1 of 2)

Texans who …	Democrat %	Republican %	Tea Party Republican %
Strongly disapprove of the job performance of President Obama*	4	71	94
Support stricter gun control laws*	71	26	5
Strongly support immediate deportation of undocumented immigrants*	14	44	45
Support same-sex marriage*	65	29	13
Believe there is too much expression of religious beliefs by public officials*	47	12	7
Strongly support reducing the punishment for marijuana possession**	59	30	33

SOURCE: YouGov Texas Statewide Study, conducted at various intervals.

*November 2015 (Conducted October 30 to November 8, 2015; 1,200 registered voters, margin of error +/−3.3 adjusted for weighting)

**June 2015 (Conducted June 5 to June 14, 2015; 1,200 registered voters, margin of error +/−3.3 adjusted for weighting)

***February 2015 (Conducted February 6 to February 14, 2015; 1,200 registered voters, margin of error +/−3.3 adjusted for weighting)

++June 2016 (Conducted June 10–20, 2016; 1,200 registered voters, margin of error +/-2.83 adjusted for weighting)

Table 9-2 Public Opinion of Texans on Select Public Policies by Party, Including Tea Party Affiliation (2 of 2)

Texans who …	Democrat %	Republican %	Tea Party Republican %
Strongly support making judicial bypass for an abortion for a minor more difficult**†	19	35	54
Strongly support the death penalty***	32	58	73
Support having transgender students use the bathrooms of their gender at birth++	27	72	83
Strongly support a wall along Mexico border++	9	60	60
November 2015 (Conducted October 30 to November 8, 2015; 1,200 registered voters, margin of error +/-3.3 adjusted for weighting) June 2015 (Conducted June 5 to June 14, 2015; 1,200 registered voters, margin of error +/-3.3 adjusted for weighting) **February 2015 (Conducted February 6 to February 14, 2015; 1,200 registered voters, margin of error +/-3.3 adjusted for weighting) † The Texas Parental Consent for Abortion Law requires one parent of an unmarried girl who is 17 or under give consent before an abortion can be performed. Judges can bypass this consent requirement in extraordinary situations or in the cases of medical emergencies. ++June 2016 (Conducted June 10–20, 2016; 1,200 registered voters, margin of error +/-2.83 adjusted for weighting)

SOURCE: YouGov Texas Statewide Study, conducted at various intervals.

*November 2015 (Conducted October 30 to November 8, 2015; 1,200 registered voters, margin of error +/−3.3 adjusted for weighting)

**June 2015 (Conducted June 5 to June 14, 2015; 1,200 registered voters, margin of error +/−3.3 adjusted for weighting)

***February 2015 (Conducted February 6 to February 14, 2015; 1,200 registered voters, margin of error +/−3.3 adjusted for weighting)

++June 2016 (Conducted June 10–20, 2016; 1,200 registered voters, margin of error +/-2.83 adjusted for weighting)

Group Membership and Public Opinion (3 of 7)

Gender and Public Opinion

A gender gap separates men and women regarding their patterns of voting, partisan affiliations, and policy preferences, e.g.:

Women tend to be more liberal than men and support the Democrats.

Women more likely to support social service programs that provide health care and protect basic human needs

Women more likely to favor affirmative action and to support governmental policies that encourage racial, gender, and homosexual equality

Table 9-3 Public Opinion of Texans on Select Public Policies by Sex (1 of 2)

Texans who …	Men %	Women %
Strongly disapprove of the job performance of President Obama*	51	42
Support stricter gun control laws*	36	45
Strongly support immediate deportation of undocumented immigrants*	34	27
Support same-sex marriage*	38	48
Believe there is too much expression of religious beliefs by public officials*	30	24
Strongly support reducing the punishment for marijuana possession**	46	42

SOURCE: YouGov Texas Statewide Study, conducted at various intervals.

*November 2015 (Conducted October 30 to November 8, 2015; 1,200 registered voters, margin of error +/−3.3 adjusted for weighting)

**June 2015 (Conducted June 5 to June 14, 2015; 1,200 registered voters, margin of error +/−3.3 adjusted for weighting)

***February 2015 (Conducted February 6 to February 14, 2015; 1,200 registered voters, margin of error +/−3.3 adjusted for weighting)

++June 2016 (Conducted June 10–20, 2016; 1,200 registered voters, margin of error +/-2.83 adjusted for weighting)

Table 9-3 Public Opinion of Texans on Select Public Policies by Sex (2 of 2)

Texans who …	Men %	Women %
Strongly support making judicial bypass for an abortion for a minor more difficult**†	33	28
Strongly support the death penalty***	53	44
Support having transgender students use the bathrooms of their gender at birth++	57	48
Strongly support a wall along Mexico border++	38	30
November 2015 (Conducted October 30 to November 8, 2015; 1,200 registered voters, margin of error +/-3.3 adjusted for weighting) June 2015 (Conducted June 5 to June 14, 2015; 1,200 registered voters, margin of error +/-3.3 adjusted for weighting) **February 2015 (Conducted February 6 to February 14, 2015; 1,200 registered voters, margin of error +/-3.3 adjusted for weighting) † The Texas Parental Consent for Abortion Law requires one parent of an unmarried girl who is 17 or under give consent before an abortion can be performed. Judges can bypass this consent requirement in extraordinary situations or in the cases of medical emergencies. ++June 2016 (Conducted June 10–20, 2016; 1,200 registered voters, margin of error +/-2.83 adjusted for weighting)

SOURCE: YouGov Texas Statewide Study, conducted at various intervals.

*November 2015 (Conducted October 30 to November 8, 2015; 1,200 registered voters, margin of error +/−3.3 adjusted for weighting)

**June 2015 (Conducted June 5 to June 14, 2015; 1,200 registered voters, margin of error +/−3.3 adjusted for weighting)

***February 2015 (Conducted February 6 to February 14, 2015; 1,200 registered voters, margin of error +/−3.3 adjusted for weighting)

++June 2016 (Conducted June 10–20, 2016; 1,200 registered voters, margin of error +/-2.83 adjusted for weighting)

Group Membership and Public Opinion (4 of 7)

Race, Ethnicity, and Public Opinion

Texas African Americans and Hispanics identify with the Democratic Party at much higher rates than Anglo Texans.

Some similar political values, e.g., voting rights, but on other issues there are marked differences, e.g., more Hispanic support for the Republican Party overall

Only 4 percent of African Americans strongly disapproved of President Obama’s job performance in November 2015 compared to 27 percent for Latinos and 63 percent for whites.

Table 9-4 Public Opinion of Texans on Select Public Policies by Major Racial and Ethnic Groups (1 of 2)

Texans who …	White %	African American %	Latino %
Strongly disapprove of the job performance of President Obama*	63	4	27
Support stricter gun control laws*	31	60	55
Strongly support immediate deportation of undocumented immigrants*	37	24	16
Support same-sex marriage*	40	43	48
Believe there is too much expression of religious beliefs by public officials*	28	20	27
Strongly support reducing the punishment for marijuana possession**	45	52	37

SOURCE: YouGov Texas Statewide Study, conducted at various intervals.

*November 2015 (Conducted October 30 to November 8, 2015; 1,200 registered voters, margin of error +/−3.3 adjusted for weighting)

**June 2015 (Conducted June 5 to June 14, 2015; 1,200 registered voters, margin of error +/−3.3 adjusted for weighting)

***February 2015 (Conducted February 6 to February 14, 2015; 1,200 registered voters, margin of error +/−3.3 adjusted for weighting)

++June 2016 (Conducted June 10–20, 2016; 1,200 registered voters, margin of error +/-2.83 adjusted for weighting)

Table 9-4 Public Opinion of Texans on Select Public Policies by Major Racial and Ethnic Groups (2 of 2)

Texans who …	White %	African American %	Latino %
Strongly support making judicial bypass for an abortion for a minor more difficult**†	33	25	24
Strongly support the death penalty***	52	32	48
Support having transgender students use the bathrooms of their gender at birth++	55	43	50
Strongly support a wall along Mexico border++	41	16	23
November 2015 (Conducted October 30 to November 8, 2015; 1,200 registered voters, margin of error +/-3.3 adjusted for weighting) June 2015 (Conducted June 5 to June 14, 2015; 1,200 registered voters, margin of error +/-3.3 adjusted for weighting) **February 2015 (Conducted February 6 to February 14, 2015; 1,200 registered voters, margin of error +/-3.3 adjusted for weighting) † The Texas Parental Consent for Abortion Law requires one parent of an unmarried girl who is 17 or under give consent before an abortion can be performed. Judges can bypass this consent requirement in extraordinary situations or in the cases of medical emergencies. ++June 2016 (Conducted June 10–20, 2016; 1,200 registered voters, margin of error +/-2.83 adjusted for weighting)

SOURCE: YouGov Texas Statewide Study, conducted at various intervals.

*November 2015 (Conducted October 30 to November 8, 2015; 1,200 registered voters, margin of error +/−3.3 adjusted for weighting)

**June 2015 (Conducted June 5 to June 14, 2015; 1,200 registered voters, margin of error +/−3.3 adjusted for weighting)

***February 2015 (Conducted February 6 to February 14, 2015; 1,200 registered voters, margin of error +/−3.3 adjusted for weighting)

++June 2016 (Conducted June 10–20, 2016; 1,200 registered voters, margin of error +/-2.83 adjusted for weighting)

Group Membership and Public Opinion (5 of 7)

Education and Public Opinion

Generally speaking, the more educated tend to be more supportive of First Amendment freedoms than those with less education.

Table 9-5 Public Opinion of Texans on Select Public Policies by Educational Attainment (1 of 2)

SOURCE: YouGov Texas Statewide Study, conducted at various intervals.

*November 2015 (Conducted October 30 to November 8, 2015; 1,200 registered voters, margin of error +/−3.3 adjusted for weighting)

**June 2015 (Conducted June 5 to June 14, 2015; 1,200 registered voters, margin of error +/−3.3 adjusted for weighting)

***February 2015 (Conducted February 6 to February 14, 2015; 1,200 registered voters, margin of error +/−3.3 adjusted for weighting)

++June 2016 (Conducted June 10–20, 2016; 1,200 registered voters, margin of error +/-2.83 adjusted for weighting)

Table 9-5 Public Opinion of Texans on Select Public Policies by Educational Attainment (2 of 2)

SOURCE: YouGov Texas Statewide Study, conducted at various intervals.

*November 2015 (Conducted October 30 to November 8, 2015; 1,200 registered voters, margin of error +/−3.3 adjusted for weighting)

**June 2015 (Conducted June 5 to June 14, 2015; 1,200 registered voters, margin of error +/−3.3 adjusted for weighting)

***February 2015 (Conducted February 6 to February 14, 2015; 1,200 registered voters, margin of error +/−3.3 adjusted for weighting)

++June 2016 (Conducted June 10–20, 2016; 1,200 registered voters, margin of error +/-2.83 adjusted for weighting)

Group Membership and Public Opinion (6 of 7)

Religion and Public Opinion

69 percent of Texans say they believe in God; 2 percent say they do not.

Largest faith is evangelical Protestants, followed by Roman Catholics, mainline Protestant traditions, and then historically African American traditions.

A great variety of opinions exist between and within different religions, so look at religiosity (attendance at religious services) as a way to determine the impact of religion on public opinion.

Table 9-6 Public Opinion of Texans on Select Public Policies by Frequency of Church Attendance (1 of 2)

Texans who …	Never Attend Church %	Attend Once or Twice a Year %	Attend a Few Times a Month %	Attend Once a Week %	Attend More Than Once a Week %
Strongly disapprove of the job performance of President Obama*	40	48	34	53	54
Support stricter gun control laws*	49	36	48	33	39
Strongly support immediate deportation of undocumented immigrants*	27	30	28	33	32
Support same-sex marriage*	61	51	41	28	17

SOURCE: YouGov Texas Statewide Study, conducted at various intervals.

*November 2015 (Conducted October 30 to November 8, 2015; 1,200 registered voters, margin of error +/−3.3 adjusted for weighting)

**June 2015 (Conducted June 5 to June 14, 2015; 1,200 registered voters, margin of error +/−3.3 adjusted for weighting)

***February 2015 (Conducted February 6 to February 14, 2015; 1,200 registered voters, margin of error +/−3.3 adjusted for weighting)

++June 2016 (Conducted June 10–20, 2016; 1,200 registered voters, margin of error +/-2.83 adjusted for weighting)

Table 9-6 Public Opinion of Texans on Select Public Policies by Frequency of Church Attendance (2 of 2)

Texans who …	Never Attend Church %	Attend Once or Twice a Year %	Attend a Few Times a Month %	Attend Once a Week %	Attend More Than Once a Week %
Believe there is too much expression of religious beliefs by public officials*	47	33	18	9	10
Strongly support reducing the punishment for marijuana possession**	56	48	43	29	33
Strongly support making judicial bypass for an abortion for a minor more difficult**†	18	25	31	39	54
Strongly support the death penalty***	43	49	49	50	56
November 2015 (Conducted October 30 to November 8, 2015; 1,200 registered voters, margin of error +/-3.3 adjusted for weighting) June 2015 (Conducted June 5 to June 14, 2015; 1,200 registered voters, margin of error +/-3.3 adjusted for weighting) **February 2015 (Conducted February 6 to February 14, 2015; 1,200 registered voters, margin of error +/-3.3 adjusted for weighting) † The Texas Parental Consent for Abortion Law requires one parent of an unmarried girl who is 17 or under give consent before an abortion can be performed. Judges can bypass this consent requirement in extraordinary situations or in the cases of medical emergencies.

SOURCE: YouGov Texas Statewide Study, conducted at various intervals.

*November 2015 (Conducted October 30 to November 8, 2015; 1,200 registered voters, margin of error +/−3.3 adjusted for weighting)

**June 2015 (Conducted June 5 to June 14, 2015; 1,200 registered voters, margin of error +/−3.3 adjusted for weighting)

***February 2015 (Conducted February 6 to February 14, 2015; 1,200 registered voters, margin of error +/−3.3 adjusted for weighting)

++June 2016 (Conducted June 10–20, 2016; 1,200 registered voters, margin of error +/-2.83 adjusted for weighting)

Group Membership and Public Opinion (7 of 7)

Age and Public Opinion

Young people are far less likely to engage in politics than older people.

Highest rates of participation are among middle-aged people.

Early adulthood is an important time for learning political values.

Political Participation (1 of 4)

Most people engage in conventional political behavior, e.g., voting, running for office, writing letters, gathering petitions, etc.

Political behavior is complex and can change over time.

Why are some habitual voters and others never vote?

Figure 9-1 Categories of Political Participation

SOURCE: Sidney Verba and Norman H. Nie, Participation in America (New York: Harper & Row, 1972), pp. 79–80, 118–19.

Americans typically fall into one of six categories of political participation. The largest group (by a very small margin) is the inactives (people who never participate). The next largest group is the voting specialists (people who vote in high-profile elections but do not participate in other forms of activism). Examining participation by type of activity adds depth to what is often seen as the vague concept of “political participation.”

NOTE: A number of people do not fit into one specific category; hence, the figures do not add up to 100 percent.

Political Participation (2 of 4)

Voting Patterns

In the 2012 presidential election, Texas had a 53.8 percent turnout rate, 8 percent below the national average.

Habitual voters have different characteristics from nonvoters, for example:

Higher income levels

Higher level of education

Figure 9-2 Estimated Turnout as a Percentage of Citizens of Voting Age for Selected States, 2012 General Elections

SOURCE: U.S. Census Bureau, Voting and Registration Detailed Tables, Table 4a, 2012, https://www.census.gov/hhes/www/socdemo/voting/publications/p20/2012/tables.html.

Voting participation rates vary dramatically throughout the country, from a high of 75.9 percent in the District of Columbia to a low of 47.8 percent in West Virginia. The turnout rate in Texas ranks it in forty-sixth place in the country (only four states have lower voter turnout than Texas).

NOTE: Some researchers use the percent of the total population who voted, which would slightly alter the percentages, but the same general pattern would emerge.

Figure 9-3 Estimated Turnout as a Percentage of Citizens of Voting Age by Key Demographics, 2008, 2010, 2012, and 2014 General Elections

SOURCE: U.S. Census Bureau, Voting and Registration in the Election of November 2014, Table 4b accessed at https://www .census.gov/hhes/www/socdemo/voting/publications/p20/2014/tables.html, U.S. Census Bureau, Voting and Registration in the Election of November 2012, Table 4b accessed at https://www.census.gov/hhes/www/socdemo/voting/publications/p20/2012/tables.html, U.S. Census Bureau, Voting and Registration in the Election of November 2010, Table 4b accessed at https://www.census.gov/hhes/www/socdemo/voting/publications/p20/2010/tables.html U.S. Census Bureau, Voting and Registration in the Election of November 2008, Table 4b accessed at https://www.census.gov/hhes/www/socdemo/voting/publications/p20/2008/tables.html.

Turnout levels in elections vary depending on a wide array of variables. For example, the type of election (midterm versus presidential), the presence of an incumbent, and key demographics impact turnout. Depicted here are turnout levels for men and women, Anglos, African Americans, Asians, and Hispanics for the 2008–2014 elections. As you can see, great variation exists based on race and gender.

NOTE: Some researchers use the percent of the total population who voted, which would slightly alter the percentages, but the same general pattern would emerge.

Figure 9-4 Turnout Rates by Educational Attainment

SOURCE: U.S. Census Bureau, Current Population Survey, Historical Table A-2, http://www.census.gov/hhes/www/socdemo/voting/publications/historical/index.html.

Depicted here are national turnout rates in presidential elections since 1964 by educational attainment. As you can see in the figure, overall levels of voting have declined regardless of educational attainment; however, there are great differences in patterns of participation between the more and less educated.

NOTE: The estimates presented here may not be directly comparable to some Census reports on voting and registration because the population considered is the voting-age population (which includes all adults, even those ineligible to vote like resident aliens and other immigrants), rather than the citizens of voting-age population (which includes only those eligible to vote) examined in most recent reports.

Figure 9-5 Estimated Turnout as a Percentage of Citizens of Voting Age for Selected Age Categories, 2008, 2010, 2012, and 2014 General Elections

SOURCE: U.S. Census Bureau, U.S. Census Bureau, Voting and Registration in the Election of November 2014, Table 4c accessed at https://www.census.gov/hhes/www/socdemo/voting/publications/p20/2014/tables.html U.S. Census Bureau, Voting and Registration in the Election of November 2012, Table 4c accessed at https://www.census.gov/hhes/www/socdemo/voting/publications/p20/2012/tables.html, U.S. Census Bureau, Voting and Registration in the Election of November 2010, Table 4c accessed at https://www.census.gov/hhes/www/socdemo/voting/publications/p20/2010/tables.html U.S. Census Bureau, Voting and Registration in the Election of November 2008, Table 4c accessed at https://www.census.gov/hhes/www/socdemo/voting/publications/p20/2008/tables.html.

Over time, American youth have tended to have lower turnout levels; however, as heightened levels in 2008 demonstrate, younger voters can be mobilized to participate at higher levels.

NOTE: Some researchers use the percent of the total population who voted, which would slightly alter the percentages, but the same general pattern would emerge.

Political Participation (3 of 4)

Voting Patterns

Nonvoting

Election turnout has declined for a number of reasons, including but not limited to

Distrust of elected officials.

Apathy.

Transition costs.

Political Participation (4 of 4)

How Texans Voted in 2012

Voting by race and ethnicity

Romney received 59 percent of the white vote in the United States.

Obama received 93 percent of the African American vote and 71 percent of the Hispanic vote nationwide.

70 percent of Texas Latinos voted for Obama.

More than 75 percent of Anglos favored Romney over Obama.

The looming Hispanic vote

Traditionally, Hispanics have voted Democratic in Texas, but the large number of voters has yet to turn the partisan tide and restore the Democrats to power in the state.

Public Opinion Polling (1 of 2)

Survey Research

Personal interview

Telephone survey

Internet survey

Benchmark poll

Tracking poll

Exit poll

Push poll

Sample

Probability sample

Bernie Sanders Texas Rally

Bernie Sanders was especially popular with young people, invigorating them and creating excitement about politics. In the last several presidential elections, turnout by young voters has increased (though is still very low). Candidates who draw strong support from young people help stimulate interest that can translate into higher rates of participation. Pictured here is a rally for Senator Sanders in Austin in February 2016.

Public Opinion Polling (2 of 2)

Controversies Surrounding Polls

Concern over how public opinion polls are used by politicians, campaign managers, and the media

Technology has raised concerns about the representativeness of samples today.

Polls only present a snapshot of opinions at a set point in time.

Shared Writing 9.5

Consider the discussion in “Guest Column: Pulling Young Texans into Civic Life.” Why do you think young people are less involved with politics? Do they simply not care, or is there more to involvement? Should we consider online activism when we discuss involvement? How do you think civic engagement will evolve in the next ten to twenty years? What do you think could be done to promote youth engagement?

Photo Credits

Page 256: Jacky Chapman/Alamy Stock Photo; 261: Rick Kern/Getty Images Entertainment/Getty Images; 262: Tannen Maury/epa european pressphoto agency b.v./Alamy Stock Photo; 264: Lauren McGaughy/©Houston Chronicle. Used with permission; 265: Tom Pennington/Fort Worth Star-Telegram/MCT/Newscom; 267: Tony Gutierrez/AP Images; 285: Scott W. Coleman/ZUMA Press, Inc./Alamy Stock Photo; 287: Library of Congress Prints and Photographs Division [LC-H234- A-9968]

Texans who …

Less than High School Diploma %

High School Diploma %

Some College %

Two-Year College Degree %

Four-Year College Degree %

Post-Graduate Degree %

Strongly disapprove of the job performance of President Obama*

Support stricter gun control laws*

Strongly support immediate deportation of undocumented immigrants*

Support same-sex marriage*

Believe there is too much expression of religious beliefs by public officials*