Week 8: Elections and Voting

The pluralist theoretical framework emphasizes the value of voting and elections, while the elite and class or Marxist perspectives question their significance. Much of the work cited in this chapter supports a pluralist viewpoint assuming the importance of democratic elections. The rational voter image emphasizes the significance of issues in voting while postmodernism holds that class influences are declining and politics are increasingly chaotic. Studies of turnout have considered individual, structural, socioeconomic, and political-cultural factors. Structural variables related to the electoral system including proportional representation, number of parties, and compulsory voting have had a significant influence on turnout cross-nationally. Felon disenfranchisement has uniquely affected turnout in the United States, a country with historically low turnout. Whether the United States will develop a significant trend toward increasing turnout remains to be seen.
One major school of thought stresses sociological influences on voting preferences. Various social cleavages are examined by focusing on group influences based on social class, gender, race, religion, and sexual orientation. Social classes exhibit behavioral similarities and class awareness as they share similar occupations, incomes, and lifestyles. Within the racial, religious, and lesbian, gay, bisexual, transgender (LGBT) groupings, members potentially share a sense of peoplehood and historical identification that can affect their voting. Those who favor a post material or postmodern approach believe that the relevance of religious and class cleavages is declining, but others challenge this, suggesting realignments rather than dealignment. In the United States, more professionals have become Democrats, while skilled workers’ political preferences are volatile. Racial cleavage remains strong as do divisions based on sexual orientation. Generally speaking, minorities tend to support liberal or leftist parties.