The U.S. 2000 census indicates that, within a few years, people of color will outnumber white American voters in large U.S. states, such as California, Florida, and Texas. One important influence in voting participation is the extent to which people feel part of a group or segment of the population, and a concern about government policies that impact their group. Ideally, issues of concern for voters will cross social group boundaries. In reality, a considerable amount of voting is based on group interest rather than interests that jointly affect those across identity groups.

Understanding social group differences in voting behavior is useful for developing strategies to increase voting and help people focus on issues that are common to American interests (e.g., the environment and the economy). The following is a list of voting behaviors across different American social groups. Most of it is based on the 2000 census data and a 2000 Harris Poll.

1. Women outnumber men in voting by nearly 8% (72.2% vs. 64.0%). Women have taken advantage of the privilege to vote even though it was extended to them rather recently.

2. Black women (67%) vote at a rate higher than white males. Black or African American women take the right to vote seriously. Their voting power continues to be undervalued in election campaigning.

3. Latinos/Hispanics and Asians (all ethnic groups combined) tend to vote less (32.8%) overall. This is true of Asians across educational levels, unlike Latino/Hispanic, Blacks and Whites who tend to show sharp increases in voting with higher degrees.

4. Asian men (all ethnic groups combined) tend to vote more than Asian women (31.8% vs. 29.8%). This is not surprising given the historical role Asian women played in the home and society. This pattern appears to be changing with each generation and the roles of women continue to change in society. Asian women role models with status and presence within American society are also helping to reshape gender roles across the Asian American communities.

5. Immigrants, in general, tend to vote far less than other Americans. This is due to a combination of factors, such as an historical lack of trust in the political process, migrating from countries that do not have a democratic system, and not understanding the American voting process.

6. A Harris Poll in 2000 found that many people identify themselves “a lot” as male or female voters (44%), as party members (29%), as members of their age group (26%), as members of their religion (24%) or as members of a racial or ethnic group (20%) when voting. Substantial, but smaller, numbers say that when it comes to politics and voting, they think of themselves “a lot” as people with a health problem or disability (15%), or as members of a labor union or a union family (12%).

7. 51% of black Americans say that when it comes to politics and voting they think of themselves “a lot” as African Americans. Black Americans’ emphasis on their racial identity is a function of the historical ways in which
racial politics have prevented them from full participation in society.

8. Almost half (48%) of people with disabilities think of themselves politically “a lot” as people with a health condition or disability.

9. One interesting finding is the huge difference between African Americans and Hispanic Americans. Whereas half (51%) of blacks self-identify “a lot” as members of their race or ethnic group, only one in five (19%) Hispanics do so.

10. The groups with the strongest solidarity on political attitudes and voting, besides Blacks, are Democrats (25%) and Republicans (24%). While European countries tend to have a multi-party political system, the American two-party system is reflected in voter identity. It will take a shift in thinking to consider other parties seriously, which may be brought about by an increase in the number of immigrants participating in politics. A multi-party system is critical in overcoming the cultural divisions reflected in identity politics.

Can you think of other cultural factors that play a role in voting behavior?