Introduction: Increasing political participation is the concern of every political system, and identifying factors influencing the increase in participation is one of the most important strategies for managing and enhancing people's participation in elections. Political participation is considered as one of the major indicators of development. Rural people can have a decisive role in the administration of the country with their political participation. This study aimed at investigating the factors affecting the political participation of the rural people in the society.
Materials and Methods: The research was conducted in a survey method and its statistical population included all the residents of Upper Bijarbaneh, Lower Bijarbaneh and Nakhjir-Kalayeh villages. The sample size was calculated 348 people based on Cochran's formula. In addition, the impacts of variables such as gender, age, income, membership and activity in political institutions and organizations, marital status, employment status, parents’ education levels, and the amount of following the events through the national media (IRIB) on the political participation of the rural people were measured.
Results and Discussion: The study results showed that the level of political participation of rural people was relatively low; and among the studied variables, the age, membership in political institutions and organizations, marital status, employment status, parents' education levels and following the events through the IRIB were the most important variables and had significantly positive effects on the political participation.
Conclusion and Suggestions: According to the study results, the low level of political participation of rural people is a warning for Iran’s political future, and the rural youth’s despair about their future employment will cause their low political participation. Therefore, if serious efforts are not made to solve this problem, it will cause a gap between the government and the nation in the coming years.