ABSTRACT
Political participation is the process of turning opinion into an action to influence “who gets what.” Voting in elections is the most obvious way that citizens in representative democracies have to influence government. The right to vote is known as the franchise. Most democracies have mixed histories when it comes to voting rights. In the United States, the franchise was initially very limited, with only white adult male property owners getting the legal right to cast a ballot. Leaders of the early women’s movement had hoped that the initial drive to gain African Americans the franchise would also benefit women. Particular aspects of the American political system that contribute to low turnout rates include voting laws, voter registration practices, the two-party system, and the scheduling and number of elections. Voter registration requires more effort in the United States than in other democracies.
