What is Political Participation?
Political participation is a term that is used to define citizen action. These activities serve to help influence the political system. There are numerous methods available to participate in politics. Running for office and voting are some of the most popular; however, all methods of political participation are valuable for democracy. Different forms of government will benefit from widespread legitimacy provided by citizens. This participation is most important outside of election season. Political advocacy often transcends social, economic, environmental, or cultural factors in society.
Forms of Political Participation
Voting
Voting is considered the bare minimum method that citizens can use to participate politically. This civic duty is the most common and widely used form of political participation in democracies. Citizens can choose a candidate to lead the government every few years. This method directly influences the political system and helps all sectors of society to be represented. On voting day, citizens are registered and allowed to choose candidates, amendments, ordinances, referendums, or levies. The three forms of government are local, state, and national. These public servants must be chosen through the ballots cast in an election.
This activity supports democracy as the leaders closely reflect the values of the citizens. The Voting Rights Act is seen as sanctimonious in protecting democracy. In a free and fair election, voters will choose their candidate free of coercion.
Protests
Protests are used to send a direct message. This method of political participation can happen at any time, making it helpful in keeping politicians accountable even after election season. Citizens can participate in mass demonstrations to have their voices heard. To spark protests, it is likely that citizens will feel that elected officials are not looking after their needs.
The most common forms of protest result from social, political, economic, environmental, or cultural issues. When issues are ignored or not prioritized, protests work to show a visual representation of how many citizens support or oppose a given cause. The constitution allows for the peaceful assembly of its citizens with minimal restrictions. The right to associate guarantees the right to organize protests. The different types of protest include nonviolent acts of civil disobedience, vandalism, mass demonstrations/picketing, and boycotting.
Protests can also become extreme in certain instances. These activities can be violent and cause harm. Acts of terrorism and civil war are methods of political expression, although the constitution does not guarantee these.
Public Consultations
When new development occurs in a community, the local elected officials often host platforms that allow public consultations. These forums are vital for gaining input from the diverse congregants of that society. Elected officials are usually known to be distant from the problems faced by the community; therefore, organizing a public consultation will help them to gauge public opinion. When the policy decisions directly affect the public, they can voice their views in the town hall meetings. This form of political participation shows that lawmakers value the input of their constituents. When citizens directly contact their elected officials unsolicited, this can also be considered public consultation. This democratic activity supports the electoral process and allows for two-way communication with potential voters.
Jury Duty
The U.S. legislative branch requires U.S citizens to participate in Jury duty. This type of political participation is compulsory and requires random citizens to help determine the verdict in criminal or civil cases. This method supports the “social contract” and assists ensure the independence of the judicial branch of a democratic government. The jury is chosen randomly, and a group of citizens are needed to deliberate over provided evidence. Jury duty is a critical part of political participation as citizens express their democratic voice in deciding the veracity of claims against their fellow citizens. This method is fair because these citizens may need to be acquitted or judged guilty by other jurors one day.
Campaign Activity
To become an elected government member, various campaign activities are required. These campaigns occur in the form of rally events, word of mouth and political debates. For more prominent positions requiring significant votes to be elected, citizens must join together to spread the word about their chosen political parties or candidates. With the introduction of social media, there are additional ways to advertise candidates. Blogs are helpful ways to get the community to talk about participating politically. These discussion groups help form the narrative of an election. This public opinion can be created through videos and pictures of candidates. Posting about political parties and candidates on social networking sites or donating money is a form of political participation. These citizens can influence public policy by influencing potential supporters to vote for a candidate.
Running for Public Office
Public officials often need to invest a substantial amount of time, energy, and money. These positions are usually reserved for a tiny percentage of the population. Given the limited governance opportunities available, competition is often stiff. To assume public office, many citizens must sign a petition. This document is then provided to the registrar to allow their names to appear on the ballot. For more prominent offices, such as the mayor, the candidate must achieve 7,500 signatures. These requirements mean the candidate contributes to political participation as they get people involved. Getting to the ballot is the first step; after this, their political participation consists in organizing political campaigns, calling citizens to volunteer and raising funds to enable them to participate.
