FREE ESSAY ON FACTORS EFFECTING VOTER PARTICIPATION

FACTORS EFFECTING VOTER PARTICIPATION

Factors Affecting Voter Participation 
In the United States
One of the most important aspects of any democracy is participation by the citizens in
it. Perhaps the most basic form of participation is the act of voting. For this reason
many political scientists have chosen to study the factors that effect peoples
willingness or unwillingness to vote. Two such articles are Relationships of Media Use
and Political Disaffection to Political Efficacy and Voting Behavior and Registration,
Turnout, and State Party Systems. The first addresses several factors (Cynicism,
Efficacy, and Disaffection) as they relate to media use or the lack of it and the effect
the level of media use has on voter participation. The second starts with a much more
basic concept, a forerunner to voter participation, registration, and how its
difficulties effect overall voter participation. These articles read separately make
their own valid points however when looked at together they are much more effective in
explaining how the difficulties of the registration process and the role of media affect
voter participation. When looking at these articles there are three aspects of them that
should be examined a little closer. The author's both make important points in their
respective articles that have relationships among them that are very significant in
understanding patterns of voter participation. The type of evidence and factual material
that is presented are also important in the legitimacy of the articles. Finally there are
parts in each article that are very effective while others aren't so sufficient in
explaining variances in voter participation. 
One of the major questions asked in Registration, Turnout, and State Party Systems is if
political parties have the power to "get out the vote". The authors state that the
parties get their formalization from the values and efforts of their elite but if they
don't give mention to citizens concerns in political discussion and debates the
electorate will become less likely to participate. However voters will become more likely
to participate if they feel their concerns are being addressed (Brown). The article then
goes on to state that "We conceptualize registration and turnout as two distinct, linked
stages in the process of electoral participation - the second (turnout) that cannot be
completed without overcoming the first (registration)" (Brown, Jackson, and Wright 465).
The authors do a great job of linking these two main points throughout the article when
it is shown that liberal party control is conducive to higher registration rates, which
in turn results in higher voter turnout. In the second article Relationships of Media Use
and Political Disaffection to Political Efficacy and Voting Behavior there are many
important points that are very carefully interconnected. The authors of this article
state that cynical citizens are more likely to feel a sense of decreased efficacy and are
less likely to use media sources when in most cases the use of media would increase their
participation rather than their cynical attitudes (Austin, Fortman, and, Pinkleton 36).
They then go on in length to discuss the relationship between cynicism, negativity,
disaffection, efficacy and voter participation fortunately for the reader they link all
these points together in an easily understandable statement. "Negativism toward campaigns
and mediated campaign information can reduce active media use and can affect the way
media information is interpreted. Reduced media use and negativism both should associate
with higher levels of cynicism, ultimately affecting citizen development of efficacy
toward the political system and their likelihood of participating in the electoral
process. Increased media use nevertheless should make citizens more likely to believe
their participation can make a difference subsequently leading to actual participation"
(Austin, Fortman, and Pinkleton 39). The authors very effectively combine a lot of
complicated concepts into a form that almost anyone could understand. Overall the author
of both articles are notably effective in both stating their significant points and
linking them all together.
The evidence and factual information adds to the validity of the articles, in some cases
however the information given actually hurts the articles validity. Both articles tend to
site other similar studies that have been done that add a lot of legitimacy to the claims
of what they intend to prove. The articles both give in depth explanations of the methods
used for their studies and the results they achieved. While their explanations are in
depth they also have a tendency to be very scientific and the language they are presented
in is not easily comprehendible by a layperson. However they do go on to explain the
results convincingly in plain language in the conclusion sections. In the "Relationships"
article the authors are quick to admit where their validity may be adversely affected.
Austin, Fortman and Pinkleton admit that there are limitations to be noted in their
research because their sample consisted of people in a limited geographic region at a
single point in time, and their survey had a tendency to be negative towards media and
politicians (44 - 45). Overall the articles prove to be both valid and believable within
the noted exception.
As with any article there are certain parts of each work that are more effective then
others. Since the articles are both peer reviewed and printed in professional journals
their formats are very similar. In both the somewhat lengthy introduction sections are
not only effective but are necessary in understanding the purpose of the studies as well
as showing the places where other studies have left off. However the sections that go
into detail about the research done in a scientific manner are mainly ineffective to
anyone that is not well versed in the methods of research information collection. Both
sets of authors do however successfully attempt to explain all of the complicated data in
terms that are easily graspable to any layperson. How ever in reading the articles you
may find that they are quick to mention the results that are consistent with their
expectations, while they are not quite as eager to talk about things that their research
didn't sufficiently prove. The articles are also prone to point out existing problems
that the studies have turned up but stop just short of giving suggestions on how to solve
those problems that are barriers to voter participation. It would be much more effective
if the authors gave plans of action, based on predictions drawn from their research,
which may help boost participation in the electorate.
In conclusion the authors of both articles do present relevant information that achieves
the overall purpose of proving their assumptions on why people tend to participate or
abstain. The articles also complement each other well when read together particularly if
Registration, Turnout, and State Party Systems is read first. It explains that for
participation to even begin to occur registration must be accomplished. This is a simple
enough idea but it is often completely overlooked by other studies on the topic of voter
participation. Once the factors that effect the likeliness of registration are examined
then the next logical step is to look at what gets registered voters to the polls and
more importantly what keeps them away. That is where Relationships of Media Use and
Political Disaffection to Political Efficacy and Voting Behavior picks up, it goes on to
discuss how a major agent in the distribution of political information can affect
citizens feelings about the entire voting process. While both articles state and prove
their points well their weaknesses lie in the same sections. They both get confusing and
jumbled when discussing the actual methods and raw results of the research done. Further
more they both prove their hypotheses and stop there. With all of the research they've
done and information they've collected they should be able to make well-founded
suggestions on how to improve the low voter turnout that seems to plague this country. 
Bibliography
Works Cited
Austin, Erica Weintraub, Fortman, Kristine KJ, and Pinkleton, Bruce E. "Relationships of
Media Use and Political Disaffection to Political Efficacy and Voting Behavior." Journal
of Broadcasting and Electronic Media. Winter 1998: 34 - 49. Proquest Online. (25 Oct.
2000).
Brown, Robert D, Jackson, Robert A, and Wright, Gerald C. "Registration, Turnout, and
State Party Systems." Political Research Quarterly. Sep. 1999: 463 - 479. Proquest
Online. (25 Oct. 2000).