Political Participation

1
Political Participation

• You can be involved with Politics through any of
  the following-

Standing for election Joining a political party
and attending meetings Protesting Campaigning
and writing letters And not least BY VOTING IN
AN ELECTION
2
Voting Behaviour

• This area fascinates political sociologists
  because they have to study the voting behaviour
  of the British people. The number of people
  voting in an election is called the turnout.

3
Voting types

• Loyal
• Floating
• Tactical

4
Non Voters

• Are apathetic and / or
• Uneducated in the issues and / or
• Dislike all the candidates.

5
Attitudes of groups is important the following
will affect voting behaviour.

• Class
• Gender
• Age
• Ethnicity
• Region
• Religion

6
Class

• Labour has traditionally been supported by the
  working class.
• Changes in society over the last 25 years have
  changed this.
• Likewise the traditional support that the
  Conservatives had from the middle classes can no
  longer be relied upon.

7
Gender

• More women than men vote in elections.
• They are more likely to vote Conservative.

8
Age

• Young people are less likely to vote but when the
  do they are more likely to vote Labour.
• Older people are more likely to vote and usually
  for the Conservatives.
• Why are these two age groups likely to vote in
  this way?

9
Ethnicity

• Minority groups are less likely to vote.
• When they do they tend to vote for Labour.

10
Regions

• Conservatives strong in Southern England
• No Conservative MPs in Scotland
• Lib Democrats strong in the Southwest of England.
• Nationalists in Wales and Scotland challenge
  Labour for voters.

11
Religion

• Not an issue in England and Wales.
• In Northern Ireland Catholic Christians and
  Protestant Christians tend to vote for parties
  that are aligned with each denomination.

12
Other factors

• Policies e.g. Europe
• Party image e.g. sleaze
• Leaders positive or negative images
• Parental socialisation guidance with
  discussions at home
• The mass media newspapers and TV stations will
  choose the stories that are heard.

13
Your turn

• What is the voting behaviour of your family?
• Why do you think that some people do not vote?
  Should they be made to?
• Would 16 year olds be able to cope with choosing
  a political party to vote for?
• How will you choose the political party which you
  will vote for in two years time?