It allows citizen to choose the candidates they think would best serve their interests. Elections make public officials accountable for their actions if we assume that citizens know their candidates and their offices. Different explanations underlie differences in political participation across time and across nations. Except for voting turnout rates, which have declined over time, Americans participate in politics about as much in the 1980s as they did in the 1960s. Unconventional behavior, however, is not related to higher socioeconomic status.
Education is the strongest single predictor of participation.
Regardless of socioeconomic status, young people are less likely than older people to participate in conventional politics. C. Low voting turnout in the United States can be attributed to several factors. Voting turnout has declined over time for two reasons. Lowering the voting age from twenty-one to eighteen in 1971 increased the pool of eligible voters least likely to vote. Studies have found that the belief in the efficacy of voting is declining among all voters.