Overall, blacks and whites report are about equally as likely to vote in an election. Those who believe that they can have an impact on government and politics are more likely than others to vote. Voting participation is related to the amount of free time an individual has. Relatedly, those with children in their household are somewhat less likely to vote than others. The more important a person believe politics is, the more likely they are to vote.
Likely voters are generally the most interested in politics.
Strong party identifiers are more likely to vote than are Independents. The likelihood of voting is not strongly related to concerns about the character of politics. Only about 16 percent believe that political involvement may get them into trouble. Feelings of competence is related to voting turnout. Citizens who believe that they understand political issues are more likely than others to vote.