 Because the voting population is influenced by many different issues, political scientists have found it useful to study specific target groups. Their studies of the characteristics of the human population is called demography. This research helps determine what types of issues motivate various groups to become active in the voting process and why some of the demographic groups are more likely to show up at the polls on Election Day. The demographic categories in which the population groups are most often broken out by are age, gender, race, education, and income level. These demographic groups often yield insight into voting patterns. For instance, demographic research shows that people under the age of 25 have a very low rate of voter turnout, possibly due to any of several factors. This age is highly mobile, so many are not registered to vote. Also, many of them do not feel affected by voting or the elections and do not feel a strong social obligation to voting. Let us never forget that government is ourselves and not an alien power over us. The ultimate rulers of democracy are not a president and senators and congressmen and government officials but the voters of this country. Franklin D. Roosevelt, 1938 A large percentage of the baby boomer generation, however, turns out at the polls. This age group came of age during periods of political and social unrest, which has instilled in them a strong sense that voting is their civic duty. Gender has also long been a factor in who turns out to vote. Historically, men have been the stronger participants. But because of the 19th amendment and changes in women's roles in society, this trend has gradually changed. In the 2000 presidential elections, a slightly larger number of women voted than men. A person's race also seems to affect the likelihood of them voting. A larger percentage of white people vote than any other racial group. Statistics also show that African Americans are more likely to vote when there are issues on the political agenda they consider important to their daily lives. And even though the Hispanic American population has low voter turnout, a high percentage of Cuban Americans come to the polls to stand up for their preferences. In general, however, the newer immigrants are to the U.S., the less likely they are to vote. Another factor in whether a person is likely to vote is their education level. As you might expect, studies show that people who are highly educated are more likely to participate in politics as voters, candidates, political officials, and party workers. High school dropouts show one of the lowest voting rates. And going hand in hand with education is a person's socioeconomic status. People in upper income brackets are more active in politics and at the polls. And as you might expect, unionized blue-collar workers participate in higher percentages than low-paid or unemployed workers. So, by analyzing the statistics provided by demographic research, political scientists are aided in forecasting which people will show up at the polls on election day. How likely is it that a person will vote in an election or participate in an election campaign or other political activities? That likelihood is gauged by what is called voter intensity and several factors affect the degree of this intensity. When people feel strongly about their role as a voter, when they have a personal stake and interest in the hot issues of the day and when they feel connected to the political system, their voter intensity is high and they're more likely to vote and take an interest in political activities. On the other hand, when people have the mindset that their vote won't make a difference, when they don't feel compelled to wait in line at the polls and when they're generally disinterested in politics and have little or no knowledge of the issues or the candidates, voter intensity becomes low. The ignorance of one voter in a democracy impairs the security of all. John F. Kennedy, 1963. Voter intensity is directly related to political efficacy or people's understanding of and impact on politics. There are two kinds of political efficacy, internal and external. Internal efficacy refers to how well people understand the political system and whether they get involved in political activities or simply stand on the political sidelines. People who have a strong understanding of the issues and candidates have high internal efficacy and they are likely to vote and participate. External efficacy refers to whether people believe their efforts and ideas make a difference in policy decisions. If a person believes that their votes and political involvement will affect political policies, they have high external efficacy. Another factor that influences voter intensity is issue saliency. This term refers to whether people believe the issues on the political agenda matter in their everyday lives. Issues like raising or lowering taxes, abortion and gay rights would typically be referred to as salient issues because they tend to peak voter interest and produce high voter turnout at the polls. Complex issues such as foreign policy and the national debt typically have very low saliency with voters because they are more difficult to understand. Consensus and polarization also affect voter intensity. When a large percentage of the nation is in consensus or agrees on political issues, many voters become apathetic and do not feel their vote or participation is needed. On the other hand, when the nation is polarized on an issue or is highly divided on a policy agenda or candidates, it is common for people to feel more convicted about politics. In a polarized time, it is more likely that people will want to add their vote and their efforts to campaigns to ensure their views are made policy.