LibGuides: Elections and voting: Effects of voting

Useful links

LibGuides home page
Browse through all CNU library guides here.
CNU Library home page
Reach all of our library services and resources, as well as the CNU homepage.
A-Z Database page
Browse a full list of our library databases here.
Catalog
Browse CNU's physical collection of books.

Contact us

Email: library@cnsu.edu -- All questions and suggestions are welcome. We're eager to help.

Quick help: Walk-up hours (generally M-F) are posted in the library.

Schedule an appointment: Meet with a librarian on the topic of your choice.

Why voting is important

Your vote matters. Political knowledge and participation have been shown to change voting trends and behaviors on a local and national level. Below, you'll find research on recent voting patterns and how they have changed. By voting, one helps ensure their community is represented on a local, state, and/or national level.

Links:

ICPSR: Voting Behavior
"The most interesting questions about an election are not concerned with who won but with such questions as why people voted the way that they did or what the implications of the results are. These questions are not always easily answered. Looking only at the campaign events and incidents will not suffice. The unique aspects of the election must be blended with a more general understanding of electoral behavior to create a full explanation."
Pew: Trends in party affiliation among demographic groups
"There continue to be fundamental differences in the partisan orientation of different demographic groups, and in many cases these gaps have grown wider in recent years. For instance, gender, generational, geographic and educational divides are now as wide, or wider, than in Pew Research Center surveys going back more than two decades."
Pew: The Changing Racial and Ethnic Composition of the U.S. Electorate
"The upcoming 2020 presidential election has drawn renewed attention to how demographic shifts across the United States have changed the composition of the electorate."
National Geographic Education: Why your vote matters
"Your vote may not directly elect the president, but if your vote joins enough others in your voting district or county, your vote undoubtedly matters when it comes to electoral results."