Examining the Impact of Social Media Use, Political Interest, and Canvassing on Political Participation of the American Public During the 2020 Presidential Campaigns

Abstract

The sample included 3503 Americans participating in political activities during the 2020 presidential election. This study rank ordered three political behaviors: political expression, political information seeking, and political influencing. The study used these items to construct a Political Participation Index (PPI) to measure the political participation levels of the American public. Using representative data from the 2020 American National Election Survey (ANES), this study examined the predictors of political engagement of the American people to fathom what aspects can galvanize political participation and identify factors that social workers and policymakers can influence through political interventions. Study results ranked political information-seeking activities high and rated political influencing activities at the bottom based on the political participation of the American public. Political interest and being canvassed emerged as the most influential predictors, followed by the political use of Facebook and Twitter. In addition to personal characteristics such as being white, age, and being married, political parties’ outreach was the least influential predictor. Results demonstrate the need for social workers and policymakers to promote political interest and canvass groups such as nonwhites, single, young voters, and the poor to advance political participation, a critical tool to address the imbalance.