Chapter 7: Political Participation: Activating the Popular Will

the right to vote

the proportion of persons of voting age who actually vote in a given election

the practice of placing citizens' names on an offical list of voters before they are eligible to exercise their right to vote

a feeling of personal disinterest in or lack of concern with politics

a feeling of personal powerlessness that includes the notion that government does not care about the opinions of people like oneself

the belief of an individual that civic and political participation is a responsibility of citizenship

the sum of the face-to-face interaction amoung citizens in a society

active and sustained efforts to archieve social and political change by groups of people who feel that government has not been properly responsive to their concerns

involvement in activities intended to influence public policy and leadership, such as voting, joining political groups, writing to elected officals, demonstrating for political causes, and giving money to political candidates