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ABSTRACT Status of the Problem: Many researches and theses are carried out on general political participation of general political participation of university youth in Turkey and general participation of the youth in elections. The patterns and levels of participation of university youth forming an elector group with unique qualities in local elections which is a specific participation area are not known. It is important to determine the patterns and levels of participation of university students who ratio has been increasing gradually in the group of general elector in the local elections. Goal of the Study: In this study, based on several factors, it is attempted to determine the political participation patterns and participation of students of Balıkesir University in the general elections of 2009. Method: Data in this research with empirical nature is obtained via survey. Population of the research consists of approximately 15.000 university students in the provincial center of Balıkesir. In the sampling of the study, 421 students are involved. The study has no explanatory or descriptive dimensions. Validity of the hypotheses that were established as a result of literature exploration in the study is tested. In addition, the survey includes questions that aim at testing any hypothesis and descriptive findings are reached in some dimensions found important. Findings and Results: Participation of university students in local elections is lower than their participation in general elections. The study indicates that the reason why the participation level of the students in local elections is lower does not lie under the concept of 'non-interest in politics' but 'involuntary participation'. Majority of the students who do not participate in elections indicate as grounds for their non-participation that ballot goes to place different from the place where they study. Meaningful differences are determined in the participation of the students in locations according to age, class, educational status of parents, place where the students stay and the status of families living in the city where their children study. The difference according to 'the class they study' is more that the difference according to 'age'. No difference is seen according to gender. Suggestions: As a result of the findings obtained in the study, it is suggested that social scientists and researches should review the existing judgments on the participation of the university students in elections depending on 'gender', 'the size of settlement where parents reside' and 'income status of parents'. Furthermore, while researching the difference in the participation of university students in elections, the factor of 'class where they study' should be taken into consideration as well as the factor of 'age'. The findings of the study are restricted to the university students who study in the central district of Balıkesir. Generalization of the study findings in Turkey scale depends on the similar researches to be carried out in different cities. Key Words: Political Involvement; Participation in Elections; Local Elections; Political Involvement of University Students, Youth and Politics; Sociology of Politics.

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