First, the Texas Lyceum Poll of adult Texans, of whom 75 percent are registered voters. The chart depicts the percentages of adult Texans that are in each of the seven categories of partisan affiliation.
Second, the UT/Texas Tribune Poll of registered voters in Texas. The chart depicts the percentage of registered voters in each of the seven categories of partisan affiliation.
Before comparing the differences in the categories of partisanship, it's important to note that there are also differences between adult Texans and registered voters in Texas in terms of interest in politics and public affairs. The table demonstrates the differences:
Most importantly, whereas 88 percent of registered voters are either extremely or somewhat interested in politics and public affairs, 75 percent of adult Texans are in the same categories of interest. Similarly, only 3 percent of registered voters have no interest in politics and public affairs; 11 percent of adult Texans have no interest in politics and public affairs.
In their book entitled "Independent Politics: How American Disdain for Parties Leads to Political Inaction," Samara Klar and Yanna Krupnikov show that many people avoid being labeled as partisans because of the social stigma attached to political parties and partisanship in this period of political polarization. The consequences are great for our democracy and its health.
Studying the charts shows that adult Texans are much more likely than Texans who are registered to vote to express political independence: 20 percent of adult Texans versus 9 percent of Texans who are registered to vote. After all, registering to vote is one indicator of political action, and deciding not to register is another indicator concerning political action. If more people, because of their disdain for partisan politics, withdraw from politics, our democracy suffers. People who see the parties as acting only in their own interests and not in the state or national interest, undermines one of the foundations of democracy--an informed and involved electorate.
