This study examines the impact of economic development and generational turnover on trends in sex differences in political participation. Election studies of the United States and West Germany are the sources of the trend data, which cover the period between 1952-1953 and 1980. Controls are imposed for increased education levels, the decreased preponderance of rural residents and farming families, and the replacement of older generations by younger ones. The results show that these socioeconomic processes have had a negligible impact on the sex difference trends. Furthermore, these socioeconomic processes cannot explain the variations in the rate of change by nation and by indicator of political participation. The article identifies different configurations of factors affecting the trends in voter turnout, in media attention and discussion, and in organizationally related types of campaign activity.
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