Politics Facts & Figures

Definition

Activities associated with the governance of a country or other area. It is a way that people living in groups make decisions so that they can live together in groups such as tribes, cities, or countries.


Participation

59% of Americans participate very often in at least one of these activities:

  • Attend community meetings or town halls
  • Write or call their elected officials
  • Donate money to a political or issue campaigns
  • Volunteer on political or issue campaigns
  • Attend political rallies

The Atlantic
https://www.theatlantic.com/business/archive/2014/05/only-one-percent-of-americans-are-really-politically-active/425286/
(Allstate/National Journal Heartland Monitor survey)

Americans with higher incomes or with college degrees are much more likely than those with low incomes or without college degrees to report engagement in at least one civic activity.

The Atlantic
https://www.theatlantic.com/business/archive/2014/05/only-one-percent-of-americans-are-really-politically-active/425286/
(Allstate/National Journal Heartland Monitor survey)


Voting

Percentages of eligible U.S. voters who voted in:

2020       66%
2016       55%
2012       57%
2008       62%
2004       60%
2000       54%

Bipartisan Policy Center
https://bipartisanpolicy.org/


Women

In 1920, when women gained the right to vote, government spending on public health care increased dramatically, particularly on maternal health.

Bread for the World
https://bread.org/

Women in the US consistently turn out to vote at higher rates than men. But they are significantly underrepresented as policy makers in government – particularly in the South.

Bread for the World
https://bread.org/

Compared to other high-income countries, the US has a much lower percentage of women elected to government office.  In 2014, women held 18% of seats in Congress – which was the highest in history. Other high-income countries average 25% of women in national parliaments. Many countries, rich and poor, designate a specific share of seats for women in order to help ensure they are not isolated from political life but the US does not do this. There are 95 countries with larger shares of women representatives in national parliament than the US, of which 68 use some form of reservation system to increase women’s representation.

Bread for the World
https://bread.org/

Women, particularly women of color, are underrepresented in the types of jobs that typically lead to elective office, such as business ownership, military service and leadership and partnership in large law firms.

Bread for the World
https://bread.org/

The evidence shows that women who are elected to public office have different priorities and see very different results than their male counterparts. Women introduce many more bills on health care, education, and child care than men do.

Bread for the World
https://bread.org/

Women bear heavier debt burdens and use a greater share of their salaries to pay off education debt which inhibits them from running for office.

Bread for the World
https://bread.org/


Racial Diversity

Overall, the number of nonwhite (including blacks, Hispanics, Asians/Pacific Islanders and Native Americans) lawmakers is increasing. In 2019, there were 120 minority members in the 116th Congress — an 84% increase over the 107th Congress of 2001-03, which had 63.

Pew Research
https://www.pewresearch.org/fact-tank/2019/02/08/for-the-fifth-time-in-a-row-the-new-congress-is-the-most-racially-and-ethnically-diverse-ever/