Arrow Impossibility Theorem

Arrow Impossibility Theorem
"The Arrow impossibility theorem and its implications for voting and elections"
Arrow's impossibility theorem represents a fascinating problem in the philosophy of economics,
widely discussed for insinuating doubt on commonly accepted beliefs towards collective decision
making procedures.
This essay will introduce its fundamental assumptions, explain its meaning, explore some of the
solutions available to escape its predictions and finally discuss its implications for political voting
and elections. I will begin by giving some definitions and presenting the fundamental issue of social
choice theory, consisting of the identification of an "ideal" device for preference aggregation,
capable of converting individual ... Show more content on Helpwriting.net ...
The existence of such trade–off poses serious obstacles for the identification of an optimal voting
system in real society elections and has strong consequences in welfare economics and justice
theory.
There are possible solutions to escape the paradox by accepting to relax one or more of the theorem
fundamental assumptions. For example, by restricting the voting choice between just two
alternatives, a coherent group decisions can always be obtained through majority voting.
In politics this is commonly achieved using different methods among which are the assignment of
agenda power to an individual, the elimination of defeated alternatives from the vote and the
limitation of voting rounds. Individuals having the power of making such choices can actively
influence the results of the elections and have their most preferred outcome implemented.
Another popular approach consists of restricting the application of the voting system to a specific
type of individual preferences denoted as "single–peaked", characterized by the presence of a most
preferred alternative for each individual. Furthermore, in the context of a uni–dimensional policy
space we can also apply "Black's median voter theorem" to identify the Condorcet winner in the
societal ranking, consisting of the most preferred alternative of the median voter.
Despite the existence of a number of cases where it's possible to circumnavigate the paradox, many
political problems present complex and
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Voting Rights Essay
Protecting the Vote
Is voting important to you? As a member of the most influential democracy in the world it should
be. Voting in the United States matters enough to some citizens that they have thrown their lives into
making it to the ballot box. One of those people is Congressman John Lewis. As a young man Lewis
was a leader of the 1960's fight for African American voting rights. In the third volume of his
graphic novel March, Lewis, with coauthor Andrew Aydin and illustrator Nate Powell, documents
that fight and the subsequent signing of the 1965 Voting Rights Act. The Act, which instituted
Federal oversight of elections in areas notorious for voter discrimination, was repeatedly renewed
until 2013, when key parts were struck down by the Supreme Court. Because it limited the ability of
a number of states to enact their own voting laws, removal of the Act has led to the institution of
new laws requiring certain forms of identification at the polls. Although there are dissenting voices
that vehemently protest voter ID laws as discriminatory, they are in reality a reasonable and efficient
measure which serves to protect the integrity of the American vote.
Since 2013 a number of states have enacted voter ID laws, the intent being to protect the
truthfulness of the vote as an accurate representation of the will of their citizens. For any American
the right to vote should be seen as a sacred privilege, and the carrying out of that privilege a solemn
duty. Voting is the

Voter Turnout
July 4th, Veterans Day, and Labor Day are all national holidays for which schools and work are
closed for the day. However, the United States has yet to make election day a national holiday. The
first Tuesday in November of every fourth year, election day takes place. Election day presents
citizens with the opportunity to influence federal bureaucracy by choosing the next president of the
United States. In the most recent election, voter turnout was at a twenty–year low (Wallace). The
U.S. was not only at a twenty–year low, but the U.S. voter turnout currently trails most developed
countries (DeSilver). As voter turnout seemed to drop every election, many democratic politicians
decided to take a stand. One such as former President Barack Obama ... Show more content on
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Some examples of restrictive voting laws include These new restrictions ranged from cuts to early
voting to burdens on voter registration to strict voter ID requirements ("Election 2016"). Along with
these restrictions, the Supreme Court ruled that states with the longest histories of voting
discrimination no longer needed to approve their voting changes with the federal government
(Berman). This ruling allowed states to discriminate and make it harder for other ethnicities to vote,
which would affect voter turnout. These voter restrictions are a violation of the constitution and
against the belief of democracy in the U.S. The rebuff of Trump's hedging on accepting the election
results – 65 percent of Americans in a recent poll disapproved of it, most of them strongly – shows
that the commitment to democratic institutions and processes remains strong (Hemmer). Election
day becoming a national holiday would prevent restrictive voting laws because it reiterates the
importance of voting causing a huge turnout in the polls and if people are restricted from their right,
they are more likely to fight for

The Importance Of Voting In The United States
In 2016, the presidential election was one of the hot issues in the United States and citizens focused
the result of this intriguing competition. Meanwhile, without considering who was the winner of this
election, the fact of 56% of eligible voter turnout in this year was a noticeable value. This figure was
5% lower than the previous presidential election; moreover, compare to the past, voter turnout has
drawn a declining tendency. At this point, one of the questions is arising; does vote need to be highly
recommended or left the decision to citizens? I am standing for the motion which is "citizens should
vote." I have two main points and one rebuttal against opposing opinion.
First, the main reason why the vote should remain personal decision ... Show more content on
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Before to refute the contrary ideas, people need to perceive the exact definition of where they live
in. The United States is republic and democracy country. According to the dictionary, republic
means "a government in which supreme power resides in a body of citizens entitled to vote and is
exercised by elected officers and representatives responsible to them and governing according to
law" and the meaning of democracy is "government by the people; especially: rule of the majority."
These two definitions are refutations against the argument of living in the free country. The United
States is a free country protected by the constitution, but at the same time, the identity of this
country implies that vote is a foundation of the United States. In addition, whether people are not
interested in these definitions and the identity of the United States, there is something that citizens
should remember. The modern political system is not free benefit, that is to say, modern citizens owe
the debt of protecting and advancing the society. In the history, many revolutionists and pioneers
were sacrificing and striving to achieve the current system, the republic, and democracy. Therefore,
citizens have a responsibility to respect what they, the revolutionists, believed and pursued.
Second, there is a practical reason why citizens should vote. In 2016, the United States federal
budget was approximately four trillion dollars and the voting eligible population in 2016 was around
250 million. What it does mean is estimated the value of one vote is regarded as 16 thousand dollars.
In other words, missing the chance of vote is same as missing the chance of deciding the use of
sixteen thousand dollars per

Assess the Extent to Which Short Term Factors Are Now More...
The electorate are those that are eligible to vote, and many factors can influence the way in which
the electorate do vote. Primacy, also known as long–term, factors are those that have a long term
influence on the way in which somebody votes, for example the social class in which that person
belongs to. Recency also referred to as short–term, factors are those which have a short–term
influence and most prominently during the lead up to an election, an example of a recency factor is
the impact of mass media. In the last few decades many long–term factors have become less
important due to partisan and social de–alignment, whilst the short–term factors have been ever
more emphasised and prominent. To begin, the period of 1945–1970 was ... Show more content on
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This occurred due to embourgeoisement, which was the tendency of the better–off working class
people with aspirations to become more like the middle classes in their social outlook and voting
behaviour. This new type of class was classified by Crewe as the "new working class" of the new
estates and new service economy of the South. The voting behaviour had been changed, instead of
voting for Labour the "new working class" were more inclined to the tax cut, nationalisation and
union policies of the Conservatives. Also, demographic changes lead to inner cities emptying and
their electoral base eroded, whilst the South grew where it had a concentration of Conservative
voters. Therefore, the long–term factors of social class and party identification have become less
important in shaping the voting behaviour, mainly as the working class was less aligned to Labour.
However, the general election results of 2005 suggest there is still a small link between social class
and voting as Labour had a clear majority against the Conservatives in some of the inner cities,
where the concentration of working class lie. There is great evidence to suggest that short–term
factors have been very influential in the voting behaviour of the electorate today. To support this,
Denver in 2003, noted that voting is now much influenced by the opinions and

Example Of Imperceptible Effect
Occasionally situations arise where people believe that what they are doing won't make a difference,
yet, some claim that sometimes they should do these actions on a moral basis, in spite of this
perceived lack of effect. Whether these situations are real, or imagined, it is important to consider
them, as it gives us insight into the large importance our actions play into the collective morality of
the society in which we operate. Imagined examples of situations where one morally ought to do
something despite a perceived lack of potential effect might be participating in a rally, or as Socrates
ponders, breaking out of prison . A good example of a situation where one could be considered
morally obligated to do something despite there being ... Show more content on Helpwriting.net ...
These two concepts can be tied together somewhat, as if multiple parties forgo their admittedly
miniscule expected value from an action by not doing it, because they believe this miniscule
expected value is identical to no expected value, then they give up their combined expected value all
together, which could actually be substantial. If Republican voters in New York truly believe in their
candidates, and want Republican ideologies to govern the laws of the United States, then it is their
responsibility to band together and make sure they are doing all they can for their political party by
fulfilling their civic duty and voting, even if it will only affect the political landscape in an
extraordinary situation. Additionally, the very basis of petitions having any function is that they rely
on collective action from a large mass of like–minded people, and any widespread fallacy of
imperceptible effects would render a petition useless. All in all, it is clear that despite what one may
believe about the effectiveness of an individual action, effects occur due to collective action,
something that is nothing more than a bundle of imperceptibly effective individual

The Stigma Of Voting : America Is Facing An All Time Low...
America is facing an all–time low in voter participation. Since 2014 the voting population has
decreased by "thirty–six and four–tenths percent" (DelReal). Many theories explain the stigma of
voting in America. According to the Wolfgang "the leading theory is: many minority voters are
discriminated upon and do not believe their vote will count." Many laws created infringe on the
rights of Americans, however, when citizens do not vote the government seizes control on
controversial issues , which in turn creates solutions that are less than satisfactory to the civilians. To
begin with, the American Government has created many unconstitutional laws such as the Sedition
Act of 1918 ( an act passed in 1918 that if anyone talked negatively about the government or war
efforts it was punishable by long periods of jail time or death penalty after December 13,1920 the
act was repealed due to citizens expressing displeasure) , which restricts the first right to freedom of
speech.Freedom of speech, it's becoming questionable on how free speech actually is in the United
States. Watson states , there has been a "seven–teen percent increase in cases of people speaking out
against the government , which can be punishable by jail time" , or as conspiracy theorist believe
death.The restriction of freedom of speech comes from lack of active participation in American
politics .The most recent case that is similar to the Sedition Act of 1918 occurred in 2012 a male
citizen named Tarek

College Voting Analysis
Ever since the first presidential election in 1789, the process of voting has transformed immensely;
poll tax has been eliminated, and African American men and then women gained suffrage.
Dependent on such changes, every American man and woman can vote, now including current
college students, so the University of Texas at Austin presented a series of lectures to integrate
current students to the process and significance of voting. Three speakers–Mark Updegrove,
Bethany Albertson, and Michael B. Stoff–argued their perception of this year's election–the scarcity
of young voters, political anxiety, and the theory of a critical election–which each presenting a
problem for the future of the status quo. Furthermore, these problems constitute the ... Show more
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As a result, the movements that support those who are oppressed will continue–not solely because
new problems could arise, but because the inaction of voters caused the problem to continue.
Empirically, policy has changed the nation. Voters voiced their concerns by voting representatives,
who mirror the party's opinion, into office, so policy will change for the better. Updegrove
demonstrated several examples. First, African Americans wouldn't have become citizens, have due
process, or even vote if the people did not elect a president, who not only urged for these
amendments, but nominated the Supreme Court Justices, who made those decisions. Second, women
would still be systemically (a term that was unfamiliar before the lecture; meaning (oppression)
within the system) oppressed if it were not for voters, who elected people in office to create the
nineteenth amendment, which gave women suffrage. This significant changes are exactly why
voting is extremely imperative and the problem of inaction is extremely dangerous; voting can either
help a group of people, resolving problems, or hurt us, continuing and creating problems. As
Updegrove firmly stated, voters have a voice, and they should use

Compulsory Voting Vs. Mandatory Voting
According to Oxford Advanced Learner's Dictionary, the definition of a vote is, "A formal indication
of a choice between two or more candidates or courses of action, expressed typically through a
ballot or a show of hands or by voice." When forced to make a choice, are you still making that
choice? Compulsory voting, or mandatory voting, is a system in which electors are required to vote
in elections or at least attend a polling place on Election Day. If a voter does not appear at a polling
place, and is eligible to vote, he or she may have to contribute community service or fines. This
voting system exists in about a quarter of all democracies in the world. The core goals of
compulsory voting are to increase voter turnout and to have an election reflect the will of all
citizens. However, it is improbable that this form of voting would truly change the government to be
more inclusive of those non–voters than it is currently. Mandatory voting goes against American
principals and American citizens that avoid casting their ballots intentionally. Compulsory voting
would fail to solve any actual issues, and could cause even more to surface. Compulsory voting is
principally undemocratic – freedom of choice must include the freedom not to choose. Forcing
citizens to vote violates individual freedom, a key staple of American democracy. Voting must be
left to the individual to choose to participate or not to participate because the right to vote or not is
protected by the

Why People Vote In America
Voting for politicians to represent us, the people, occurs quite frequently than people think of or
expect. We vote for our nation's president every four years, senators 6 years, and house of
representatives every two years on an even ending year. In addition, on voting day, people also have
the opportunity to vote for measures that affect the local community at city level, and at the state
level. This means that citizens have the power to change their community. For example, in the last
ballot, residents of Temecula were able to vote for Measure S. Measure S proposed to raise the local
tax by 1%, to help fund emergency response times. According to the website, Votersedge, a total of
38,646 people voted for or against the measure. In a city that has a ... Show more content on
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Michelson sta tes that, "Less than a third of Latinos vote in presidential elections, while less than
one fourth participate in congressional elections." ( Michelson 2013) This means that most Latinos
do not vote during the presidential elections and even less for congressional elections. Further,
researchers have found that "the experiment provides solid evidence that face–to–face canvassing
can have a statistically significant and substantively large effect on voter turnout when the canvasser
and the targeted voter share ethnicity and political partisanship." ( Michelson 2013)The research
proves that old door to door mobilization was effective when the potential voter and the campaigner
shared the same ethnic and political background. This may hold true for Latinos, "That shared
ethnicity matters confirms theories long held by de la Garza and others that Latino activists can
effectively mobilize the Latino vote." ( Michelson 2013) With these findings hopefully more Latinos
will have the opportunity to vote, and gain political power in congressional and presidential

Hays Linkage Model Paper
In the United States, there are certain groups that vote more than others and there has been a decline
in political participation over the years (Liu et al., 2009). Voting is considered an important tool of
political participation in the democracy system (Liu et al., 2009). This study seeks to describe the
factors that influence Blacks, Asians, Hispanics, and Whites decision to vote. The conceptual
framework model was created based on Hays' linkage model (Hays, 2015). The Hays' linkage model
specifically shows a strong relationship between the concepts of both social capital and political
participation (Hays, 2015). The remainder part of the model demonstrates the different variables that
also affect social capital and political participation. ... Show more content on Helpwriting.net ...
School groups or neighborhood associations– The school groups and neighborhood associations are
formed, with the use of social capital. The citizens interact with each other within these school
groups and neighborhood associations. The teachers, parents, neighbors and students all join each
other in unity to reach their goals (Liu et al., 2009). Service Organizations– It is any type of
organization, where the members join together to provide service to others within the society. The
service can even be any type of charitable work or other ways to provide support within an
organization (Painter and Paxton, 2014). Recreational Clubs– It is another type of group, where the
citizens work together in recreational clubs. It is an important component of the social groups,
where the citizens interact with each other (Jeong, 2013). Religious Organizations– In the religious
organizations, people spend time together as they complete their religious prayers that bring people
together under a specific gathering place. With the use of religion, people join together in unity
(Painter and Paxton,

Benefits Of Lowering The Age Of Voting
In lowering the age of voting, I feel as if this would benefit America and the younger generation. It
would help the percentage of participation from all age groups, in a positive way. Meaning parents
can bring their children to vote alongside of them. Secondly, if the age group was lowered it would
allow children at the age of 16 to become more interested in the political aspects of the country. For
example, parents would be able to educate their children on the importance of voting, explaining
what it means to cast your vote and the effects it could have on them during the present and future.
Elderly people, above the age of 65, typically are the deciding votes because they understand the
importance of electoral involvement.

Summary of Charles Beards "Framing the Constitution. Essay
Charles Beard's suggested that the Constitution was a document that was only created to protect the
framer's wealth. Beard believed that the reason why the rich framers wanted to protect against
majority rule was to prevent the majority to overthrow the rich. Beard did manage to fit most of the
framers under "rich" categories such as lawyers, landowners, and merchants. But, he failed to realize
that the framers limited majority rule to protect the rights of minorities, also. The framers attempted
to perfect the constitution by protecting the minority while giving majority some power. The
Constitution was drafted by framers that took a lot of time and effort to make a document that has
held this nation together for centuries. The ... Show more content on Helpwriting.net ...
But, the Constitution limits the majority only because of the fear of uprisings from the minorities.
The framers wrote the Constitution with the mindset of preventing the majority to dominate the
minority. If there was no limit on majority rule, the majority could end up making all the decisions.
This would leave the minorities fueled with anger and they would have a reason to overthrow the
government. An uprising that caused the framers to limit majority rule was Shay's Rebellion. The
framers saw that the minority, poor farmers, did not have any choice because the majority
dominated them. The framers also realized that this uprising could have taken down the nation
because the nation was also unorganized and weak at that time. This event made the framers realized
that the minority should also have power or else the majority would dominate again.
Notes: * Plenty of grammatical errors. * Your main point was obvious: Beard's opinion is incorrect,
and limiting majority rule was for political purposes, not economical purposes. * Try to make your
points more concise. I had a hard time understanding what the main point of each paragraph was. *
Write like a pundit. Make a clear, strong point. Don't cloud your point with slips of data. * I'm not
sure if your interpretations of majority rule match mine. Majority rule was instituted to protect the
majority from getting too powerful. The majority could not act unwillingly against the minority's

Swing Voters Summary
Craig 3: Swing Voters, by William G. Mayer
Craig begins on page 45 with his disposition on swing votes "a swing voter is a voter who could go
either way– someone who is not so solidly committed to one candidate or the other" (Craig 46).
Swing voters can be change who they will vote for and are easier to attract. Craig identifies swing
voters on page 47 as "(1) those who are undecided, and (2) those who, though they have a current
preference, say they might change their mind between the interview and the election" (Craig, 47).
Craig "to indicate how favorable or unfavorable they view each of the presidential candidates by
rating them on a so–called thermometer scale ranging from 0 to 100 degrees" (Craig 47). The far left
and right extremes (–100 and 100) represent the ... Show more content on Helpwriting.net ...
Swing voters could stay in the middle of this rating with a possible leaning for one side or the other.
Swing voters can be described by four characteristics. According to Craig the " First, swing voters
are substantially less partisan than non–swing voters...Most swing voters are either less partisan or
independent"(Craig ,54). On the characteristic of moderation according to Craig moderates are less
sure about which candidate supports their interests (Craig, 54). On the topic of Information level
Craig states that those who need information most... or swing voters, tend to pay less attention to
politics and campaign new than those who have made a firm decision" (Craig, 55). On the case of
demographics Craig purposes that women, the elderly, Catholics and Hispanics (Craig, 55). Craig
breaks down swing voters into two groups one being those who have the bare minimum information
about each party but are still undecided, and the other side is those who vote for the incumbent but
might change their

The Valence Theory Of Adaptation In The UK
On 18 September 2014, voters in Scotland rejected proposals for Scotland to become an
independent country outside of the United Kingdom (UK) in a referendum on Scottish
independence. (BBC, 2014) The referendum was won by the "No" campaign on a margin of 55.3%
No 44.7% Yes on a record high turnout of 84.59%. (BBC, 2014 / UK Political Info, 2017 / Jeavens,
2014) Substantial electoral gains for the pro–independence Scottish National Party (SNP) and the
more pro–UK Conservative Party in Scotland since the result of the 2014 independence referendum
has challenged the long established dominance of the UK Labour Party in Scotland, (Hassan, 2017:
375) which has in turn begged the question which this essay will explore on whether the 2014 ...
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(Lundberg, 2016: 238) The 2014 independence referendum had unprecedented levels of political
engagement, (Mann and Fenton, 2017: 156) and a very high voter turnout of 84.6%, the highest
turnout in a UK election since the 1910 general election, which was held before the expansion of the
franchise in 1918, when less men and no women had the right to vote. (Jeavens, 2014)
Throughout the referendum campaign, there was a shift in support towards Scottish independence,
(Mann and Fenton, 2017: 156 / Curtice, 2016: 2) with "Yes" initially polling on 32–38% of the vote
at the start of 2012; (BBC, 2012) starting the campaign polling at under 40% of the vote and
finishing the campaign on 45% of the vote. (What Scotland Thinks, 2014) This shift in support
towards independence was particularly prominent among those living in deprived areas (Mann and
Fenton, 2017: 156, 161–162 / Curtice, 2014b) and among Labour voters, (Mann and Fenton, 2017:
157, 160) with around 40% of Labour voters from the 2010 general election in Scotland voting in
favour of Scottish independence despite Labour's constitutional position against independence
during the campaign. (Curtice, 2014a) This shift towards independence among Labour voters and
those living in deprived areas can be noted as having had a significant impact on the electoral
prospects of the SNP around the Central Belt of Scotland between Glasgow and

The United States: A True Democracy
The United States was a country built on values of fair representation and freedom. Americans
disagreed with the monarchy of British reign, and thus declared the United States to be a democratic
– a government in which the masses elect the leaders and thereby act in the interests of the people.
Regulations were established to reinforce these ideals, including three different branches of
government and a term limit for the president in order to prevent a monopoly. Yet there are major
flaws in the country that hide behind the ruse of democracy. This form of government is a source of
pride for the United States, but that pride blinds people from the blatant issues that plague the
country. The underlying corruption and oppression in the United ... Show more content on
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In 2014 only 40% of the voting age population turned up to vote (Black), and the voting population
mostly consisted of the wealthy and the elderly. These groups tend to have more time on their hands
to both vote and stay politically active, so the resulting government tends to overemphasize their
values. Not only do more of them vote, but some attempt to actively silence the voices of opposition
in the lower classes. During the civil rights movement, the wealthy used voting suppression in the
form of literacy tests, poll taxes, and even violence (Boundless). Lower class citizens couldn't afford
the education to pass these literacy tests, nor could they afford to dig into their limited resources to
pay and vote. Their needs become stifled, despite the fact that they're the majority of the American
population. This defeats the purpose of a democracy. The representatives elected are meant to stand
for the people, but a large population of potential voters is neglected in this process. Voting also
takes place on a Tuesday, and those tend to occur during working hours. Employees are allowed to
take time off to vote during working hours, but the process of voting tends to be costly for lower
income brackets. Low salaries mean that making money becomes a bigger priority, and some would
rather gain money than go vote. Additionally, they have to pay for public transportation fees to get
to the voting venue since they don't all own cars. 28% of citizens that made less than $20,000 a year
reported that they didn't vote due to the fees needed for transportation and that it cut into their work
salaries (Malter). The process of voting registration is another factor that keeps them from voting. In
other countries, the responsibility of registration falls on the government; in America, it is the
responsibility of the

Problems With The Political System
Menyhart, Julia
Section A, Prompt 5: Problems With the Political System in America One problem with the U.S.
political system is the effect that political propaganda can have. For example, liberal propaganda
that uses language to pull in young voters to vote for more liberal candidates paints certain things in
a negative light that are actually function for society. for example, the systematic discrimination
present against non–white people, women, and the poor may hurt individuals but is actually
functional for many and political propaganda made by liberals is teaching otherwise, trying to
discourage young voters from voting conservatively. For example, many popular pages on social
media sites, like BuzzFeed, are posting very liberal things that alter the opinions of the young
viewers that watch them. This affects young people because they are the ones mainly affected by
propaganda and are easily influenced. To change this, liberal media should be changed and people
should be educated in what is actually functional for the U.S. instead of what young people want
and instead of what is good for, for example, people who deal with racism and sexism. An obstacle
for this is the ever growing population of young people who are interested in politics and are trying
to make a change and who hold rallies, for example. The "Black Lives Matter" movement is one of
these movements that endanger the power of the elite.
Two other problems with the U.S. political system are that only

The Pros And Cons Of Public Financing
The system of public financing is one in which public funds cover either some portion or all of the
election costs associated with running for office. In return for the public's financial support, the
candidates are limited in the amount they can spend during their campaign (Primo and Milyo
2006a). This system is beneficial to all three branches of government, and is arguably most
influential on non–legislative candidates. This is because, the size of these legislators suppresses the
power of any single member, and compels interest groups to look elsewhere for major influence
(Primo 2006).
Public funding of campaigns and political parties are widespread throughout the majority of Europe.
According to the International Institute for Democracy ... Show more content on Helpwriting.net ...
Furthermore, arguments have been made that the central reason public financing laws are so
unpopular in the United States are a result of the public's unwillingness to support public financing
with taxes. U.S support of public financing has been found to fluctuate based on question wording
bias (from between 40% approval to 10% approval). This variation stems from the contradictory
ideas of the public's belief system: those private and political contributions can lead to policy
decisions that favor the financial supporters and not the actual constituents, viruses the
overwhelming disapproval to subsidize the campaigns through taxes (Raja and Schaffner 2011).
It has been theorized that these public financing policies make elections more competitive and could
possibly increase voter turnout. Conversely, to that argument, adversaries of public financing say
that creating laws, which limit campaign spending, will in turn, decrease voter turnout. This study
however, indicated that neither of these theories were supported showing that changes in campaign
finance laws, on average, have no net effect on turnout (study specifically in gubernational
elections) (Primo and Milyo 2006

Is Voting for Young People? by Martin P. Wattenberg Essay
In chapter one, Wattenberg discusses the declining trends of Americans who regularly read
newspapers between the 1960's and present day. This can be attributed the aging patterns among
generations who frequently read newspapers as well as with the use of technology rising. Reading
the newspaper is a habit that either is or is not developed by the time one reaches voting age. With
this, newspapers have become an older generation's primary source of information, however, are
still the best source for political matters. Younger generations tend to be more computer literate and
have grown up with television and media more accessible to them than the previous generation.
These trends not only reflect in American culture, but in other countries ... Show more content on
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In chapter two, Wattenberg discusses television broadcasting and its impact with news networks
such as NBC, CBS, and ABC. He quotes a 1972 study by Patterson and McClure in which they
believed that although broadcasting allowed for Americans to see the campaign, it did not help teach
voters anything of importance (32). TV news has become increasingly directed towards the elderly,
with young people elsewhere or watching something else when politics are broadcasted (33). He
illustrates this point with an example of the types of commercials aired for medications that while
are suited for any age group, they are remedies for maladies or health concerns that older
generations experience more than younger ones. Today, there are multitudes of television channels
available for specific topics such as sports and music rather than the general topics the original
major networks broadcasted, making it easier for young people to avoid the political events that
once captivated the attention of Americans in previous generations. One study found that 21% of
respondents under 30 years of age learned about the Presidential campaign or candidates from a
comedy show instead of from newscasts (40). Although some find information indirectly through
entertainment TV, a 2004 survey proved that 7% of respondents who followed the campaign closely
enjoyed it and were familiar with facts heavily relied on cable news channels as a source of
information, proving that if

Why Declining Voter Turnout On New Zealand Matters
Why Declining Voter Turnout in New Zealand Matters
Voter turnout is defined as "the total number of voters who participated" and in this particular
instance, in a general election in New Zealand. Voter turnout has steadily been declining in New
Zealand. During World War II voter turnout exceeded 90%, and has been on a steady decline since
the 1960's. In recent general elections, turnout has been the lowest in recent history with the 2011
election being notable for it's low voter turnout of just 74.2% of eligible voters voting in the
election, and to find an election with lower voter turnout you would have to go all the way back to
1887. "1 million didn 't bother to vote" in the 2011 election, and some theories as to why include
voter mobilisation, psychology and 'habit', and age. In this essay I will be arguing why declining
voter turnout in New Zealand matters and why, and include why it is on the decline, the type of
voters that do not vote, why declining turnout matters and how to increase turnout.
Why do people not bother to register or vote? From some perspectives it is the decision to vote
rather than non–voting that is the issue. People do not vote because 'they can't, don't want to, or
weren't asked'. There are three concepts of voting: Costs of voting ('c'), the benefits of voting if one's
party were to win, ('b') and the probability of a vote having an effect ('p'). This formula c + (b*p)
states the probability of a person casting a vote. From the individuals

Voter Behavior: A Case Study
Candidates dictate the way they present themselves and their image to voters. Based on their
presentation and self–image, voters will take these into account with their own views. What is
voting action theory and how does it apply to the way voters vote? How does this change the
behavior behind the voting process per registered voters? Why do voters want their political
candidates to share their views? What effect do the votes on a candidate have on the economy or
health care? What studies have been done to show the behavior and the change in such with each
political candidate or how the candidate is treated? What psychological tools are used during these
studies?
Voter behavior has been studied 2 separate psychological methods; the first

Social Class Theory And Political Sociology
Power is the "The ability of individuals or groups to make there own concerns and interestes count,
even when others resist". ( Anthony Giddens 2001 ). There are three major theoretical frameworks
in political sociology–pluralist, elite theory, and social–class perspectives. Classic pluralist see
power held by a variety of groups in society; some of which are more powerful than others.The
diverse and competing interests of different groups is the basis for a democratic equilibrium. These
groups compete with each other to maximise their influence. No one group or class is able to
dominate all other groups because of checks and balances built into a democratic system. Elite
theory involves the idea that rather than there being a simple plurality of competing groups in
society, there are instead a series of competing elites and powerful groups who are able to impose
their will and dominate the rest of society. social–class theory is based off the ideas of Karl Marx.
These frameworks have set the foundation for most perspectives in political sociology.
There are two main sociological perspectives. The Functionalist Perspective, Symbolic
Interactionism Perspective and the Conflict Perspective. Functionalism presents society as a
machine of interconnected parts that work together in unison to maintain a state of economic
balance and social equilibrium for the whole. for example the family, schools, government and
religion are social institutions that contribute to

Voting Synthesis Essay
There are a vast number of critics of the American electoral system that bring up the argument that
our voters do not have the knowledge or the interest to run a democracy successfully. These critics
claim that these voters lack in judgement and skill which are two main key aspects needed to
successfully run a form of government. In order for a government to be run successfully we need to
have voters who are informed and up to date with the current events and what the politicians have in
store for us. I do not believe voters do know enough to run an efficient government. Even though
there is a percentage of people out there who are knowledgeable the unknowledgeable outweighs
them. To be efficient voters must possess knowledge in judgement and skills for the government to
be run effectively. Voters ... Show more content on Helpwriting.net ...
Every person has a different form of voting such as that they may read the parties platform and
attend their given debates and make an informative decision that way. There are others who go
through the route of party identification. Party identification is where you are part of a certain
political party and your loyalty is given to that party which therefore effects your vote. Political
parties serve as shortcuts for voters by people voting for the party they see best fit. There are people
who vote strictly for the party they give their loyalty to and not for the candidate which is not
always the right way to go. The party may have beliefs and value that you agree with but sometimes
the candidate may not be the best representation of the party and may not be capable of having the
power that comes with the position. Although party identification is a great idea I feel for our
government to run efficiently we should see the candidate themselves then look at the party to fully
take in to account their core

Muller's Varying Political Uses Of Populism
It is argued that since the 2008 financial crisis there has been varying political uses of populism.
Muller (2015) suggests that populism can be a result of political anxieties, either as a threat to the
democratic system, or as a corrective measure for politics which are considered unrealistic for the
majority of people. He argues that populists claim to represent authenticity and suggest that they are
morally pure, yet not corrupt. However, Muller rejects the idea that left wing politicians can be
described as populist, and argues that they must reject this label and should already be on the side of
the people (pp. 80–84). Muller's theory is contrary to some left wing politicians in Europe, who are
described as populist. However, it is argued that most politicians oppose to being described as
populistic, as it is traditionally seen as something which is in opposition to mainstream politics.
Lauclau (2005) describes how populism is either downgraded or dismissed. He postulates that most
... Show more content on Helpwriting.net ...
Moreover, Aughley (2007) implies that populism could take a left wing approach, although this
would be a multi–ethnic ideology compared to the anti–immigration right wing approach. He
explains that the growth of populism is a reaction to the popular style of democracy being
undeveloped, and the executive form of democracy was too strong. His interpretation of the
contemporary form of populism is that 'the people' are much better educated, and no longer need
guidance from the elites on what to think or what to do (p. 105). It is suggested that the public today
are much better educated; however, this is not necessarily in a political context. Aitchinson (2017)
describes how democracy is a topic which should be taught in schools both in the UK and US.
However, Aichinson worries that this is not the case, which results in young people showing little or
no interest in voting and

Political Theories And Ideology Of Liberal Democracy Essay
Many challenges put a stress on Modern Democracy because of the political theories and ideology
our government holds, the current politicians taking office, inequalities throughout social classes
and economies, and the opinions of "We the People". Nearly every country claims to be some form
of a democracy, but not all these self–proclaimed democracies allow for free politics, good
government, and rule of law (Crick, 2002). Liberal democracy has begun to win over its royalist,
fascist, and collectivist rivals over the course of the last few centuries, and the freedom to vote has
been steadily expanded to those who were without it. But the liberal democracies of the world do
have problems. Democracy is only as good as its citizens, and the quality of those citizens demands
certain constant factors (7 Concerns, 2012).
Gerrymandering is the process in which political boundaries are redraw or changed in order to
benefit one political party over another one; if one party has power of the state legislature, then they
can change political boundaries to maximize their chances of winning congressional districts to win
an election. By doing this, unfair and skewed results are produced because redrawn lines can be
made to help one party win over the other, since constituents for the losing party will be divided
between districts (Tormsen, 2015). This will also allow the winning party to win more electoral
votes and seats (Tormsen, 2015). This practice is uniquely American and can be

Theories Of Voting
Dhillon and Peralta argue that the flaws of rational choice theory, mainly the paradox created within
voting, allow an examination of economic and political theories (2002, F332). Voter theory is not
just about whether it is rational to vote, whether your vote makes a difference; the complexities that
arise because people do vote despite this logic creates a fascinatingly complex opportunity to
examine the influence of theories on actual turnout. The emphasis on the voting process is a
precursor to looking at voter turnout. In order to discuss voter turnout, it is quite necessary to
understand, at least on a basic level, why people vote, or do not vote, in the first place. The multiple
theories regarding voting offer potential explanations as to why people vote. It is almost unnecessary
to pick a ... Show more content on Helpwriting.net ...
However, I am not claiming that the different explanations are not worth understanding. These
different voting theories offer important background as to why voter turnout turns out the way it
does. Voting theories provide the necessary evidence to point to when connections are made
between voter turnout and certain groups. As a pretty commonly known relationship, the older an
individual is, the higher likelihood that individual will vote (Smets 2012) . An explanation for the
connection could utilize rational choice theory to explain how self–interests are fulfilled and the
benefits of voting outweigh the costs. The elder generations have more to gain or lose as a result of
an election; they receive funds through Social Security, are more likely to own stocks, potentially
have a mortgage, etc. The benefits of voting to maintain their current situation outweigh the costs of
voting. In this example, the cost of voting could be the time taken to learn about the issues and the
time to actually vote. The elderly have more time, given they're

Niemi's Argument Analysis
Niemi (2011) makes the argument that there is a greater need for civics classes at an early age in
order to increase political knowledge that students have in the future. The premise is that political
attention and voting are habitual, and promoting these values at a young age may create a type of
inertia that will carry out throughout their lives. In order to be successful, however, I would argue
that simply presenting information about political events and actors would not be sufficient. Neimi
makes the statement earlier that American students are struggling in mathematics and science, but
then contents that simply adding more classes with have a positive effect on civics. Instead of
simply adding more avenues of information for students, it makes more theoretical sense to make
these classes active. Social Learning Theory (Bandura, 1977) would argue that in order to gain
benefits of habitual voting, they would need to rehearse the practice of voting. Given that many
High–school students cannot vote, it would be up to the civics classes to simulate the experience of
voting in a tangible way for the students to receive benefits. ... Show more content on
Helpwriting.net ...
Fishbein (1979) argues that intentions are the strongest predictor of behavior, and issues arise in
changing behavior when behavioral outcomes and actions are conflated. A behavioral outcome is a
grand, general goal. An example would "being a good citizen." A behavioral action is a specific
occurrence that contributes to an outcome, but does not completely satisfy the outcome. An example
would be voting as an indicator of being a good citizen. Voting plays a role in being a good citizen,
but it doesn't completely satisfy it. The suggestion by Niemi, then, that providing more political
information in the classroom and motivating students to pursue it outside the classroom is one that is
simply one behavioral action that is being

Arguments Against Compulsory Voting
Compulsory voting is a system where citizens are required to register to vote and attend a polling
place on election day (Rosenburg, Matt). Compulsory voting is not the most virtuous solution to the
problem of low voter turnout and political disengagement due to its disregard of the peoples' rights
as well as citizens' opinions and the quality of the their votes. As Theodore Roosevelt once said "A
vote is like a rifle; its usefulness depends upon the character of the user" (Roosevelt, Theodore).
Without a doubt, compulsory voting is an infringement of liberty as stated in the U.S. Constitution.
Voting is not an imperative obligation and forcing it would contravene the first five basic freedoms
of U.S. citizens guaranteed by the First Amendment. ... Show more content on Helpwriting.net ...
Text 2 Lines 27–30 explains the idea of random voting, "Voters who are voting against their free
will may check off a candidate at random, particularly the top candidate on the ballot paper. The
voter does not care whom they vote for as long as the government is satisfied that they have fulfilled
their civic duty". Forcing a population to vote has been proved to result in blank and invalid votes
(text 2, lines 25–26), which happens to contradict the purpose of the compulsory voting. If the
motive for the mandatory voting is to produce an accurate representation of the country's political
opinion then the invalid and blank votes prove that it is an inadequate way to go about tackling the
problem of political

Annotated Bibliography On The Voting Booths Of America Are...
Annotated Bibliography
Linda Feldmann Staff writer of The Christian,Science Monitor. "Why the Poll Booths of America
are Empty." The Christian Science Monitor: 1. Oct 03 2000. National Newspapers Core. Web. 12
Dec. 2016.
This source focuses on the decline in voter turnout over the past few decades with the lead up to the
2000 Presidential election year. Comparing elections from 1960, the various "experts" have not been
able to pinpoint a solid reason until a several people from Harvard come up with an interesting
theory. There was a spike of people making time to vote in 1992, showing that the American people
were not happy with the economy. This leading to the idea that people are on the whole, satisfied
with Government in the way in how politics affects their lives. There is more to pull from this spin
on why people do not go to the polls, and I feel that this article can add another angle to the polling
drought that affects the US elections. I found it by searching "Low Voter Turnout" in the National
Newspapers Core database.
Keisling, Phil. "Vote From Home, Save Your Country." Washington Monthly (2016): 1. Academic
Search Premier. Web. 12 Dec. 2016.
This article presents the impression of a national "vote by mail" can do upon the political map of the
United States and significant analyses why there implies such considerable objection to this
technique for casting votes. Subjects covered are a summary of the "vote by mail" operation in two
states, Colorado and Oregon.

Social Theory And Social Judgement Theory
Abstract
The topic to be discussed here is one of the social sciences based on the theories Groupthink and
Social Judgement Theory. I will propose a study to analyze the relationship between the number of
hours of media an individual receives and its effects on his or her voting behavior. The participants
of this proposed study will be registered voters between the ages of eighteen and seventy and
residents of the United States of America. The primary method of collecting data will be through
surveys. Once the data has been, collected a multiple regression will be constructed. Please note, the
terms person, individual, subject, and voter are used interchangeably throughout the document.
Introduction
This document discusses a proposed study that analyzes a person's media exposure and how that
effects his or her voting behaviors. Throughout this document I will discuss the theories associated
with the proposed study as well as how this study could impact the theories and everyday life that
the theories are based upon.
Associated Theories
The proposed study is based upon two theories: Groupthink and Social Judgement Theory.
Groupthink can be described as a phenomena that causes a group of people to become so extremely
concerned with unanimity that each person makes decisions without considering all of his or her
options. This type of phenomena tends to hold a negative connotation because the thought process
associated with the theory causes people to fall to "peer

Analysis Of The Book ' Romeo And Juliet ' And ' Great...
Why Diversify?
Everyone knows the classics. Romeo and Juliet, Jane Eyre, Great Expectations, the novels of white
characters in Western settings commonly read in high school English classes. Lost in the backrooms
of school libraries, The House on Mango Street and Uncle Tom's Cabin are hidden away, stories of
minorities boxed in by cardboard and majority rule. While America's student body becomes
increasingly diverse (and schools rush to adapt), some say curriculum has stayed monochromatic by
regularly painting the story of the white majority while failing to represent minority backgrounds
and experiences fairly and leaving minority students struggling to relate to texts presented in the
classroom. Others say the American curriculum should ... Show more content on Helpwriting.net ...
Alexie remarks on his experience dealing with this standard, remarking that "a smart Indian is a
dangerous person, widely feared and ridiculed by Indians and non–Indians alike" (Alexie). He faced
the 'ideal' growing up and noticed those who thought against it, like himself, were viewed as
"dangerous" – a threat to the majority's power and capable of subverting the social order; he
illustrates one method the majority uses to maintain their power: those who threatened the 'ideal'
were mocked by both the majority and minorities who were manipulated into adopting the 'ideal'
way of thinking to force ideological rebels to submit to the 'ideal'.
A historical example of majorities defining the "right" way of thinking, the 'ideal', is the Civil Rights
Movement in the 1950s and 1960s. In those years, leaders like Martin Luther King Jr. and Malcolm
X rallied supporters to the cause of equal rights. These leaders carried 'revolutionary' ideas – they
supported uprooting the social order by giving African–Americans equal status as other citizens,
fighting the effects of Jim Crow and modern–day slavery – that would threaten the power and
"security" of the white majority. As they marched and organized, protestors and supporters were
confronted, often attacked, by white police and white citizens across the South with many jailed,
bloodied, and silenced in the struggle for freedom. Viewpoints that antagonize the majority, like in
the Civil Rights Movement, are

Voting Behavior Analysis
Introduction In any democratic society, voting behavior provides an interesting lens with which to
analyze the electorate. In the political system of the United States, where two political parties
dominate, civic participation and voting behavior can best be analyzed by looking at the
socioeconomic status of the voters. Socioeconomic status, a "measurement which factors in a
person's education, occupation, and income, will directly influence their behavior" (Brown and
Smith 1), though, is an incomplete measure by which to examine voting behavior and civic
participation given the racial and religious diversity in the United States and the dynamic of political
partisanship. In this paper I will argue that a theoretical framework that combines ... Show more
content on Helpwriting.net ...
In general Republican politicians support economic platforms that seek to curb government size and
influence such as lowering taxes, decreasing government regulation, and cutting back social safety
net programs. Democratic candidates, conversely, generally want to either maintain or expand
government influence through opposite policies. Republican policies are generally viewed as more
favorable for individuals of higher socioeconomic status, and Democratic policies are generally
viewed as more favorable for people of lower socioeconomic status. Based on this, if we assume
that individual rational actors are most concerned with – and thus decide for whom to vote based on
– economic policies, one might expect people of lower socioeconomic status to generally support
Democratic politicians and people of higher socioeconomic status to only support Republican
politicians. This pattern does not necessarily hold true, for multiple reasons. Gelman et al. note two
relevant trends in their examination of voting behavior:
"1. Voters in richer states support the Democrats even though within any given state, richer voters
tend to support the

Threats Of The Electoral College
In this year's presidential election, many voters dislike both the democratic and republican nominee.
As such, the democrats in states that are almost guaranteed blued states have elected to trade their
votes for someone voting for an independent candidate in a swing state. This "strategic" plan, once
used before in the 2000 election when Bush ran against Al Gore, allows people's votes in non–swing
states to have an effect on the election. While this strategy makes sense in theory, it completely
contradicts and cheats the electoral college and all of the people who have decided to vote fairly in
their own state. As aforementioned, I am completely against trading votes as it cheats the electoral
college. While I do believe that the electoral

Regional Political Sub Cultures : The State Of Florida
Regional political sub–cultures are the trends people in specific regions of the country have toward
their government–how it should function and what they feel it should achieve. As far as the state of
Florida is concerned, based on recent voter turnout and demography it can be concluded that the
state is divided sub–culturally and has been in flux since the theory of political culture began.
In order to understand these sub–cultures, one must first comprehend Elazar's political culture
typology. In the 1960s, Elazar reasoned that the United States' values and attitudes could be
identified through three political cultures which were formed based on the ideals of immigrant
ancestors and also through migration patterns throughout the country. These three cultures–
moralistic, individualistic and traditionalistic–align with the three primary political parties in the
United States–democratic, independent and republican. He also found that when divided into thirds–
north, central, and south–the country would classify itself, the north being moralistic, central being
individualistic and south being traditionalistic based on the similar values and outlooks of the people
that settled in these areas.
That being said, the state of Florida, being a southern state, may be expected to be a traditionalistic
state. However, based on recent gubernatorial and national elections, it can be deduced that the state
of Florida is in fact one of the most narrowly divided states sub–culturally and

The Outcome Of The 2016 Election Essay
The outcome of the 2016 election came as a surprise to many, pleasant to some and unpleasant to
others. However, when looking at the theories and ideas in political psychology, the election of
Republican nominee Donald Trump over Democratic nominee Hillary Clinton is not entirely
shocking. Cognitive dissonance theory, schemas and heuristics, and social influence, specifically
conformity, can all help to explain why Donald Trump is America's new president–elect. Cognitive
dissonance is defined as "when people encounter an inconsistency between any two cognitions"
(Haas, Lecture, October 11, 2016). These conflicting attitudes, beliefs, and values produce
discomfort. The rules of cognitive dissonance theory by Leon Festinger state that the two cognitions
must be relevant. If relevant, they can either be dissonant or consonant. Dissonance causes negative
control and people will be motivated to reduce this (Haas, Lecture, October 11, 2016). One study by
Brock and Balloun (1962) found that cognitive dissonance does indeed occur. In the experiment,
students were given the option of listening to a message the whole way through or to push a button
that muted the message for any length of time. The study found that people who smoked pushed the
button to mute the message during messages that discussed the link between cancer and smoking.
Additionally, those who identified as strongly Christian muted a message that attempted to debunk
Christianity for a longer period of time than

The Connection Between Weather And Voter Habit
The connection between weather and voter habit has become a well–established theme among
media outlets, political figures, and academics. However, until Brad T. Gomez, Thomas G.
Hansford, and George A. Krause's study, there was not substantial research to neither endorse nor
refute this embraced the concept. In "The Republicans Should Pray for Rain: Weather, Turnout, and
Voting in U.S. Presidential Elections" the authors sought to answer a two part research question. The
first part of this question asks: Is voter participation affected by precipitation (be it in the form of
rain or snow)? The second half addresses the influence weather has on a voter's ballot selection. In
their study the dependent variable is voter turnout and selection, which they choose to measure at a
county level; the independent variable is the amount of rain or snow on Election Day.
The causal theory maintains if there is a change in meteorological conditions from the average, then
voter turnout will increase or decline accordingly and the selection an individual will cast on the
ballot. The hypothesis, therefore, asserts that as the precipitation is greater than the average rain or
snowfall in a certain county, then voter turnout will decrease; this decrease in turnout benefits the
Republican Party, and they tend to rise in the popular vote. The study finds that their hypothesis and
the country's maxim are true; stating the relationship is not only "statistically significant, but
sometimes

U.S. Voter Participation Essay
U.S. Voter Participation
In a pluralist country such as America, there are numerous opinions over what society's goals should
be, and the best method of achieving them. In theory, every American citizen has an equal say in the
political affairs of this county. By participating in politics, people air their voices and thereby
contribute to nation through representatives, hence the term representative democracy. It may seem
to be beyond argument that political participation is a key objective in all democratic institutions.
However, there is room for legitimate disagreement about the health of our democracy, in regards to
the extent of civic participation. This raises the important question of how much participation there
actually ... Show more content on Helpwriting.net ...
According to one common view, the quality of democracy depends upon the extent to which voters
use their rights to vote and to take part in public life. It is healthy if memberships of political parties
are large and active, and if attendance at political rallies is high, and so on. Some nations believe
that it is essential to take part in political life, and that the state should encourage, and even oblige
them to do so. For example, some countries consider that it is vital to ensure that a high proportion
of eligible voters cast their ballots. Accordingly, they make voting compulsory, as in Australia. An
alternative view suggests that it does not matter whether citizens actually participate in politics, but
it is vital that they should have the right to do so, irrespective of whether they choose to use it. This
is perhaps the case in the United States, where voter turnout hovers around an astounding fifty
percent, which is lowest among all industrialized democracies (Roskin 113.) In a democracy, a high
priority is typically associated with voting (on a national scale), as a way for people to influence
policy makers. By electing officials to represent their opinions, citizens are actively partaking in
policy making. Citizens choose between candidates competing for the authority to make public
policy. Because of America's democratic government, people declare their preferences for and

Given The Increasing Decline In Turnout For Elections,
Given the increasing decline in turnout for elections, there is much debate over whether a
compulsory system of voting should be introduced in the UK and other advanced democracies.
Proponents of compulsory voting would argue that voting is a civic duty, similar to paying tax or
serving on a jury. They would also contend that it would lead to increased political participation and
engagement and that parliament would become more truly representative and considerate of the
whole electorate. Opponents, on the other hand, would mainly argue that making voting compulsory
would be an infringement on the rights of the individual, and would contravene their right to be free
to abstain should they wish to do so. They would also assert that ... Show more content on
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Former Secretary of State for Transport Geoff Hoon finds the declining turnout of younger voters
alarming, saying in an interview with the guardian that: 'My fear is that as the older, more regular
voters die, we will be left with a significant number of people for whom voting is neither a habit,
nor a duty' (Wintour, 2005). Hoon is a big supporter of compulsory voting and proposes either a fine
or a tax discount in order to incentivise people to turn out to the polls (Wintour, 2005). The proposal
of a tax discount is more positive measure and would probably make people happier and more
enthusiastic to vote, as opposed to a fine that may make people feel as though they are being
unfairly coerced to vote. This proposal could have the effect of boosting people's willingness to
participate, increasing their desire to become more informed and providing a stop to the dwindling
election turnouts of recent years.
A low and ever decreasing election turnout is seen as an alarming thing because it calls into question
the legitimacy of an elected government and also the effectiveness of the country's electoral system.
It also leads to disproportionate and overrepresentation of certain voter demographics. However,
with compulsory voting, the government must consider the total electorate when making and
implementing their policies in order to get elected. This would bring

Why Ghana Is A Democratic State
Obvious ethnic ties in national elections and ethnic favoritism amongst the different political parties,
has placed Ghana as the recent hub for several empirical studies on ethnic lines in voting patterns
(Ferree et al. 2009; Lindberg and Morrison 2008). The reasons why Ghana has been selected is
firstly because, Ghana is a democratic state, it is characteristic of low levels of conflict, even when
different ethnic groups are in close proximity to one another, and has successfully conducted free
and fair elections since 1992, with peaceful handovers from one regime to the next. Secondly, the
political field in Ghana is a two–party system. Thirdly, ethnic rivalries originating from periods
when the Ewe, Fante and Ashanti Kingdoms fought for territory to sell slaves. Although peace
prevails for about a century, the ethnic factor exists and inter–ethnic violence frequently bursts
locally (Tsikata and Seini 2004).
The two predominant schools of literature on voting patterns have both been used to approach these
studies. The "Spatial school" assumes that the voter has a given stake or interest in the outcome of
the vote, which he recognizes, and which leads him to vote as he does, (Enelow, Hinich 1984).
Downs (1957) presents the theory of the "system of information acquisition," to explain how voter's,
using a single trait to gather information about a candidate, that allows them to rationally judge what
the candidates position will be on issues that concern them.
The "Michigan

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