Political Participation

Question 1

What Act improved political participation?

Answer 1

• However, due to ‘The Representation of the people act’ (1969) everyone can vote
• Apart from prisoners and ‘illegal aliens’

Question 2

Give an example of a direct comparison between turnout for General Elections vs EU Parliament vs Local English?

Answer 2

• 2008 Local: 35%
• 2009 EU: 34.5%
• 2010 GE: 65.1%

Question 3

What Factors affect electoral turnout?

Answer 3

• Type of election
• Political Apathy
• Value of a vote
• Media Influences
• Government track record

Question 4

What are other ways to participate in politics?

Answer 4

• Canvassing (local party activists go from door to door)
• Organising elections events

Question 5

Who cannot vote in the UK?

Answer 5

• The Monarch and other senior members of the royal family
• Prison Reform Trust (campaigns for prisoners to be allowed the vote)
• EU citizens who moved to the UK
• Those who are criminally insane
• Those convicted of political corruption can’t for 5 years
• 16 year olds

Question 6

What are 5 weaknesses of Democratic Participation in the UK?

Answer 6

• Turnout: generally been 70-75% but in 2001 and 2005 fell to 60%
• turnout usually below 50% in local and regional elections
• Small amount of electorate is engaged in direct participation e.g boycotts protests strikes
• Party memberships decline: 4m in 50s now 600,000
• Lack of political knowledge amoungst voters

Question 7

What are 5 strengths of Democratic participation in the UK?

Answer 7

• Free and Fair elections
• Active participation demonstrations against the Iraq war, climate change BLM
• More socially representative politicians
• higher education and more students studying social science
• increase in direct democracy

Question 8

How to Enhance democratic participation?

Answer 8

• postal voting
• electronic voting
• wheel-end voting
• compulsory voting
• votes at 16
• greater use of DD