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OliverHensley
TinaChavez
SeniorInternship
December15,2015

LocalPoliticalAwarenessinAmerica
Introduction
UScitizensareconstantlybarragedwithpoliticalrhetoricrangingfromthethreatof
extremistsgroupstopresidentialcandidates.Everynewschannelispresentingallrangesof
nationaltopicsyetsomeofthemostimportanttopicsarerightunderournoses.Peoplefromall
regionsofthiscountryseemtounderminelocalpoliticsandaffairs.Assomebodywhois
interestedpoliticalmatters,Ihaverealizedtheneedofeducationaboutoursystemtomy
community.

Doweunderstandourlocalpoliticsandhowbillsarepassed?
Background
IntheUnitedStates,citizenshavelimitedknowledgearoundtheFederalgovernment
eventhoughthepoliticalstructurecontrolsavastamountoftheUSpopulation.Almostevery
decisionmadeandbillpassedbypoliticianshasadirectresultonhowAmericansliveonadaily
basis.Furthermore,asaprevailingdemocracy,Americancitizenscancontinuallyvoicetheir
opiniononissues.Despitetheseelements,Americanshaveshowntotaketheseattributesofour
systemforgranted.ThisisbecausemanyAmericansdonotactuallyunderstandthepolitical

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compositionanditsrelationshiptous.ThisisironicduetotheimpacttheUShasontherestof
theworld.Forexample,Americahasahugeinfluenceonworldmatters.Additionally,theUS
hasthelargesteconomyandistherichestcountryontheplanet.Manyexplanationscanbe
introduced,butmanyexpertshaveclaimedittobethecomplexityofoursystem.With
89,500
localgovernmentswhichinclude3,033counties,19,492municipalities,16,500townships,
13,000schooldistricts,and37,000otherspecialdistricts
,theUnitedStatespoliticalframework
canbealottokeeptrackofforordinarycitizens.(UnitedStatesPolitics)
Studieshavebeenconductedoverthelast50yearstoshowthelackofpolitical
knowledge.AstudybythedeanoftheAnnenbergSchoolforCommunication,MichaelX.Delli
Carpini,hasfoundthatcivicknowledgesuchasournationalgovernmenthasonlyaveraged1
percentyearlysinceWorldWarII.(AndrewRomano)Thisisverysurprisingconsideringthefact
thattechnologyandeducationalstandardshaveimprovedgreatlysince1945.Furthermore,a
studybythePewResearchCenterhasfoundinafairlyrecentstudyconductedin2007thatonly
3quartersofAmericansknowwhothespeakerofthehouseis.TheCenterforInformation&
ResearchonCivicLearning&Engagementalsofoundin2013,thatonly3quartersofregistered
voterscouldbeconsidered"reasonablywellinformed".Asmentionedbefore,politicalarrogance
isn'tjustarecentoccurrence.Forexample,a1968researchstudyshowedthatvoterturnout
rangedfrom51.5percentto63.8percentbetween1948and1960.Thoughtherehasbeen
extensivefocusinregardstoignoranceofpoliticsonthenationallevel,thelackofknowledgeof
localorevenstategovernmenthasbeenlongedignored.
Eventhoughpoliticaltopicsaroundnationalissuesislow,itisevenlowerforissueson
thelocallevel.Itisnotshockingthatanationaltopicsuchasforeignpolicyorminimumwageis

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moreexcitabletoindividualsthanmanyperceivetobelocalizedissuessuchasanewpark
bench.Keepingthisinmind,thepoliticalawarenessamongresidentsmustbeassumedtobe
muchlowerinregardstolocalandstatepolitics.Thisneedstobeheavilyaddressedasournation
isextremelydecentralizedwithhugeemphasisonstateandlocalgovernment,yetawareness
demographicsarebarelyevenconsidered.Localpoliticsarealsomucheasiertogetinvolvedin
andconsequentlyeasierforonesopiniontobeheard.Moreresearchneedsbefoundinorderto
concludeandtacklethisissue.Forinstance,astudycouldbeconductedwithresidentsacrossthe
75thdistrictwhichcomprisesEscondido,Temecula,Bonsall,Fallbrook,SanMarcos,andmany
RiversideandSanDiegoCountycitiesthatcouldseehowfartheirknowledgeoftheCalifornia
StateAssemblyandlocalspoliticsis.
Methods
AsIaminterningattheAssemblyOfficeofMarieWaldron,myessentialquestionand
otherpointsofpoliticalawarenessareveryrelevant.Toresolvethelackofpoliticalrecognition,
Ifiguredwewouldneedtograsptheextentofknowledgethatmyregionpossessesabout
politics.TheofficethatIinternatspendmuchtimeonmakingsurethattheAssemblywoman
MarieWaldronisconstantlybeingrepresentedthroughoutthecommunity.Thisincludes
certificatesofrecognition,attendingeventsandribboncuttingsfornewlyownedbusinesses.
Whicheventsandbusinesstheofficecouldgiveitsattentiontocouldbepursuedintermsofmy
essentialquestion.ToassurethatMarieWaldronorotherswouldbeputbackintooffice,
politicalawarenessofwhatpoliciesWaldronsupportsorwhosherepresentsisessential.
AsurveyIbelievewillidentifymyessentialquestion.Thiswasconductedwithresidents
acrossthe75thdistrictwhichcomprisesEscondido,Temecula,Bonsall,Fallbrook,SanMarcos,

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Rainbow,DeLuz,ValleyCenterandotherRiversideandSanDiegoCountycommunitiesthat
sawhowfartheirknowledgeoftheCaliforniaStateAssemblyandlocalspoliticsis.Through
connections,Icontactedtheseresidentswith3simplequestionsthatwouldpotentiallyshedlight
tothisissue.ThesequestionswereWhatcityareyouaresidentof?,Doyouunderstandhow
policiesgetenacted?andDoyouknowwhoyourassemblymemberis?.Thequestions
presentedcouldhelpusidentifywhatcitiesandtowhatextentispoliticalawarenessanissuein
ourregion.Ibelieveabout5residentswouldbesurveyedfromeachcitycouldallowustogeta
scopeoftheproblem.Interestingly,wecouldalsogaintherelationshipofpoliticalawareness
betweenthecitieswhichcouldallowtheofficetoknowwhatcommunitiestoputfocusonto.

Analysis:
Ourlocalpoliticalawarenessislackingandneedstobeactedupon.Outof7citiesinthe
75thdistrictofCalifornia,only17%percentofsurveyorsknewwhotheirAssemblymemberis.
ThisisnotapromisingstatisticasAssemblymembersassurethatthelawsyourcommunity
wantstobeenactedareputintoplace.Ifacommunitydoesntevenknowwhoisrepresenting
them,theydonotunderstandhowissuesarebeinghandled.Manybillsbeingpassedcouldeasily
affectmanyofthesemembersofthecommunityinanegativeorpositiveway.
Theprocessofpassingbillsisthemostessentialpartofthelegislativestructure.
Consideringthatthelegislativeprocessisacomplicatedprocess,itisexpectedthatnottoomany
peopleknowhowitfunctions.Surprisingly,only60%percentofcitizensaroundthe75thdistrict
claimthattheyknowthelawpassingprocess.Thoughthisstatisticisoptimistic,itdoesnt
necessarilymeanthatcitizensinthe75thdistrictareheadingintherightdirection.Thereneedsto

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begenuineinterestintherelevantcommunityissuesinorderforthisstatistictomatter.For
instance,ifanindividualthinkstheyknowhowbillsgetpassed,itdoesntmakeadifferenceif
theydontknowwhatbillsaregettingpassed.

Thedemocratictrendofencouragingorevenforcingcitizenstoparticipateindemocratic
processisfoundallacrosstheglobe.TheBayelsaParliamentofNigeriasays.Whenthe
citizensareinvolvedinthelegislativeprocess,itbecomesaloteasierforgovernmenttoaddress
issuessuchastransparencyofthelegislativeprocess,accesstotheparliament,mediarelations,
rolesoforganizedinterestsandciviceducation.Thissummarizestheurgencyforpublic
participationinlegislativemanners.Publicparticipationinlocalgovernmentcanincludevoting
inregionalelections,writingletterstogovernmentaloffices,campaigning,signingpetitions,
gettinginvolvedineventsandevenjustsharingonesopinionwithpeers.(CenterforCivic
Education).Moreover,manycountriesaroundtheglobemakevotingmandatoryforitscitizens
toassurethatthepoliticalsystemrunseffectively.
Withoutaconsiderableamountofawarenessinbillsbeingpassed,citizensarentbeing
fullyrepresented.Ahugeportionoftheunrepresentedaretheyouth.Peoplewhoare18and
undermakeup22.3%ofSanDiegoCounty,yetPewResearchCenterinformsthatyoungadults
onlymakeup15%ofthemostinformedpeopleinAmerica.AlsoCaliforniaonlyseesabouta
50%voterturnoutaccordingtotheUnitedStatesElectionProject.Consequentlymanybills
beingpassedarebiasedtowardstheolderpopulationandfurtherpushtheyoungerdemographics
awayfromparticipatinginlocalpolitics.Furthermore,theyouthshouldbemoreinspiredtobe

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involvedinlocalmattersduetothediverserangeoftopicsandissuesthatSouthernCalifornia
providessuchasimmigrationandclimatechange.

ActionPlan
Thereisnowaconsiderableunderstandingofthisissueonatangiblescaleandfurther
stepsneedtobetakeninordertofixit.Theobvioussolutiontolackofawarenessistoreverse
thiscycle.Thiscanbedonebyassuringthatpopulationandmostnotablyouryoungerpopulation
arebeinginformeddailyabouttheirlocalmatters.
Asnewsstationsareincreasinglybecomingmoreandmoreobsolete,theinternetseems
tobethelightattheendofthetunnel.Aroundhalfof1824yearoldsreportedbeingmore
generallyknowledgeableduetosocialnetworkingsitessuchasFacebookandTwitter.(Statista)
ThroughapplicationssuchasInstagram,citiescantapintotheiryouthfuldemographicsand
informthemcommunitymatters.
TheUnitedStatesisoneofthemostsignificantforcesonplanet,yetmanycountriesare
surpassingusintermsofpoliticalprogress.Weasanationneedtocatchupbyutilizingthe
amountofrepresentationwehaveinthecountrytoourbenefit.Thisseeminglyhardtosolve
problemcouldberesolvedthroughsimpleinnovativeandcooperativemeanstobenefit
communitiesallacrossAmerica.

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Appendix

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Doyouknowhowbillsgetpassed?

Doyouknowwhoyourassemblymemberis?

Escondido

Yes

No

Escondido

No

No

Escondido

Yes

Yes

Escondido

Yes

No

Escondido

No

Yes

Temecula

Yes

No

Temecula

Yes

Yes

Temecula

Yes

No

Temecula

No

No

Temecula

Yes

Yes

Fallbrook

Yes

No

Fallbrook

No

No

Fallbrook

No

No

Fallbrook

Yes

No

Fallbrook

No

No

Bonsall

Yes

No

Bonsall

No

No

Bonsall

Yes

No

Bonsall

Yes

No

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Bonsall

Yes

Yes

SanMarcos

No

No

SanMarcos

Yes

No

SanMarcos

Yes

No

SanMarcos

No

No

SanMarcos

Yes

Yes

ValleyCenter

No

No

ValleyCenter

No

No

ValleyCenter

No

No

ValleyCenter

Yes

No

ValleyCenter

No

No

Vista

Yes

No

Vista

Yes

No

Vista

Yes

No

Vista

Yes

No

Vista

No

No

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WorksCited
Guttetatfi,Amel,andSimonRogers."USVoterRegistrationsbyState."
TheGuardian
.N.p.,n.d.
Web.
"HowCanCitizensParticipate?"
HowCanCitizensParticipate?
N.p.,n.d.Web.03Dec.2015.
"InvolvingCitizensintheLegislativeProcess."
BayelsaParliament
.N.p.,n.d.Web.
McDonald,MichaelP."VoterTurnoutDataUnitedStatesElectionsProject."
VoterTurnout
Data
UnitedStatesElectionsProject
.N.p.,n.d.Web.17Dec.2015.
"PoliticalParticipation."
Encyclopedia
.N.p.,2008.Web
Romano,Andrew."HowIgnorantAreAmericans?"
Newsweek
.N.p.,n.d.Web.17Dec.2015.
"UnitedStatesPolitics."
UnitedStatesPolitics
.N.p.,n.d.Web.20Nov.2015.
"U.S.AdultsWhosePoliticalAwarenessIsRaisedbySocialNetworking."
Statista
.N.p.,n.d.
Web.
04Dec.2015.
"WhatthePublicKnowsaboutthePoliticalParties."
PewResearchCenter
.N.p.,n.d.Web.

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