Sociology Now, Census Update

occurs primarily among White women: 44

percent voted for Kerry in 2004 as com-

pared to 75 percent of women of color.

Early sociologists predicted that a two-
party system would lead to a concentration on
the middle ground, where most voters are
found, excluding more radical views. And
because everyone is in the middle, there’s no
need to participate, leading to voter apathy.
The opposite has happened. We are more
polarized than ever before. At election time,
the other party’s candidates are characterized
not merely as less competent but also as
villains intent on destroying America.
Voters are increasingly dissatisfied with
both parties. Many voters, especially younger
ones, identify as independents. Twenty- six per-
cent of American voters, including nearly 47
percent of voters under 30 years old, identify as
independents (Greenberg, 2003). They tend to
vote about the same as the rest of the popula-
tion (in 2004, 48 percent voted for Bush, 49
percent for Kerry), but third-party voting is
increasing. In 1998, Jesse Ventura (an inde-
pendent running for governor of Minnesota),
got 46 percent of the under-30 and only 29 percent of the over-30 voters.
However, there is also evidence for increasing voter apathy. Only about 34 percent
of eligible Americans are registered to vote (U.S. Census Bureau, 2006). Registration
rates of voting-age citizens dropped significantly between 1996 and 2000 in almost every
group. Of registered voters, only 58.3 percent voted in the 2000 presidential election,
one of the most controversial and hotly contested in history. And this turnout was the
highest since 1990. The United States has one of the lowest percentages of voter turnout
of all democracies. In many of the others, average turnout is 80 to 90 percent of eligi-
ble voters. For example, in Iceland 87 percent of eligible voters actually vote; in Israel
it’s 84 percent, and in Russia its 69 percent.
Several theories have been proposed about the low voter turnout.
Conservatives argue that people are satisfied with the status quo and see
no need for change. Liberals counter that people feel alienated from pol-
itics due to influence peddling by special interest groups and large corpo-
rations. The answer is that both are true. Some people refrain from voting
because they are pretty happy; others don’t vote because they are so dis-
affected they don’t see how it would change anything. But both agree that
people who feel they have less at stake in the election—that is, less to lose
or less to gain—are less likely to vote, and thus the higher your socio-
economic status, the more likely you are to go to the polls.

Interest Groups

Parties are not the only organized groups that influence political decisions.
Individuals, organizations, and industries often form interest groups(also
known as special interest groups, pressure groups,andlobbies) to promote

THE POLITICAL SYSTEM OF THE UNITED STATES 471

Men

Women

White

Black

Hispanic

Asian

Highest

Lowest

18–29

30–44

45–59

60+

GENDER

RACE

INCOME

AGE

0 20 40 60 80 100

PERCENT

55% 44%

48% 51%

58% 42%

11% 88%

44% 53%

44% 56%

63% 35%

36% 63%

45% 54%

53% 46%

51% 48%

54% 46%

Gay/Lesbian 23% 77%

Bush Kerry

FIGURE 14.2Who Voted How in 2004?

Twenty-seven of the world’s democracies

make voting compulsory. Usually nonvoters

face no penalty, or they can get off with

just an explanation and a fine (the equiva-

lent of $2.50 in Switzerland, $25 to $250 in

Austria, $400 in Cyprus). In some countries,

they face a fine plus “disenfranchisement”:

loss of voting privileges in Belgium and

Singapore, loss of some government services

in Peru. In Chile, Egypt, and Fiji, they can

go to prison (International Institute for

Democracy and Electoral Assistance).

Didyouknow

?