Paper: Community Political Profile

Introduce me to your community, introduce me to the people, introduce me to the politics, and teach me about the political culture of your community.

Specific Task: Introduction.

1) Research and define the meaning of two types of political cultures "conservative" and"progressive". Specify the typical socio-demographics (age, race, income, rural or urban, type of employment industry, etc); political values (examples: specific positions a variety of issues such as taxes, social issues, education, etc.); and political party affiliation of each definition.

2) Make observations about the county/city in which you live (or are from) is it. For example is it: rural vs. urban; agriculture vs. business; family vs. single; large school districts vs. small; college town; older people vs. younger; wealth; all republican candidates lawn signs vs democratic; no GMO vs yes on GMO) and identify the political culture of your community according to the ideological labels identified in class: "progressive", "conservative", or "moderate" (characteristics of both cultures). Then identify your community.
Determine what your community is, whether your initial observations are accurate or not.

1. Analyze the socio-demographics characteristics of your county.

1) Identify three distinct statistical characteristics of your county and compare them to your observations;

2) Explain how the actual socio-demographics contribution support or do not support your hypothesis about your community's political characteristic.

For examples you could look at its major areas of industry; its education levels; and/or demographic characteristics, such as age, race, or income or economy/industry.

What does older population likely to vote for or against; younger population; families with school age children; large business sector; large public employee sector; urban community with college.

In this section you will use information from:

• United States Census Bureau: The United States Census Bureau website will provide a variety of information and data about each county in Oregon. The following address provides access to a diversity of state on states and counties so you can compare your county with the state figures: http://quickfacts.census.gov/qfd/states/.

• Oregon Blue Book: http://bluebook.state.or.us/local/counties/counties.htm

• Local newspapers and the Oregonian archives: You may find some articles that specifically look at some problems or strengths of your county or your town.

• To access the Oregonian archives, go to the Oregonian website: http://www.oregonlive.com/ and use the search function to access archived articles;

• Use the Hamersley Library website and search "journal titles" for local newspaper articles; and

• Access periodical databases throughout Oregon through a county library. To access database via a county library website, you will need a library card for that county.

2. Identify and summarize the following specific political statistics of your county and compare them with state-wide numbers:

1) Party registration (Democrat; Republican; non-affiliated; Independent) in your county.

2) Percentage voting for winning Governor John Kitzhaber in the 2010 election; Compare to the voting percentage for Governor Kitzhaber the 2014 election; Is it higher, lower, or about the same?

• Does the voter registration support your political character identification? Why?

• Does the voter registration statistics align with the socio-demographics

• How does the Governor's election turnout for each candidate support or not support your hypothesis. Is it what you expected? Why or why not?

3) How many people in your county voted in 2012 and in 2014? Which election had more people returning their ballots? Why?

• Think back to the psychological factors of voting and why you may or may not have voted; think about the socio-economic factors of voting and based on your research on the socio-economic factors in your county, does your county fit into one the more likely voters' category or least likely category?

3. Analyze how your county voted on two ballot measures from 2006-2012 and one from 2014. Select three ballot measures, explain each issue and what type of voter is likely to support it (i.e. conservative, progressive). Compare the number of "yes" and "no" votes in your county, did it pass in your county? Did your county vote differently or the same as the state overall?

1. What does the outcome say about your county?

2. Did your county turnout support or not support your political culture hypothesis? Why or why not?

3. Where you surprised by the support or rejection of a measures? Why?

In this section you will use information from:

4. Secretary of States election website: oregonvotes.org

To find out about ballot measures, review old voter guides (http://oregonvotes.org/pages/publications/index.html), and then results by county to determine how your county voted (http://oregonvotes.org/pages/history/archive/index.html)
Identify the state representative and state senator who represent you.

1) IdentifyyourSTATErepresentativeandSTATEsenator (http://www.oregonlegislature.gov/)

1. Identify their party; legislative history; professional background;
2. Do the issues they support and party affiliation reflect the definition that you identified for your political culture of your county?

5. Conclusion

Did your original hypothesis about the political culture of your county prove to be accurate or inaccurate? Why? What does the socio-economic data, political statistics; and state elected official say about your community?