1.  After women were legally permitted to vote, overall voter turnout rates declined in the United States. Some argue this was due to women's inclusion in the eligible voter pool even though they were substantially less likely to vote than men. Others attributed the overall decline to a partisan dealignment that resulted in a less active role for political parties in encouraging voter turnout. Make an argument in favor of one explanation using the information provided in Chapter Three.





2.  In what ways do political parties facilitate political participation? Evaluate the claim that political parties are biased against women's participation as voters and candidates. Is there any evidence to this effect?





3.  Evaluate the short- and long-term implications of the resource gap between men and women. Men are more likely to contribute money and to contribute larger sums of money. In what ways does this advantage them in the current political system? How might some of the campaign finance reform initiatives limit the consequences of the resource gap?





4.  Compare and contrast the three explanations for the patterns of participation rates for women and men. In your judgement, why do women vote at higher rates than men, but know less about politics and pay less attention to politics than men?