Final answer:
It is true that in the U.S., voters with higher socioeconomic status, including education and income, are more likely to vote. Voter turnout in the U.S. is lower than in many other democratic industrialized countries. Voting advocacy groups are working to improve voter participation among underrepresented demographics.
Step-by-step explanation:
The statement "In the United States, voter turnout is heavily skewed toward higher status persons in professional, managerial, and other white-collar occupations" is true. Voter participation in the U.S. is influenced by several demographic factors such as age, race, education, and income.
Higher socioeconomic status, evidenced by education and income levels, is a particularly strong predictor of whether citizens will vote. For instance, those with a college degree had a voter turnout rate of about 80% compared to roughly 60% for those without a college degree.
Additionally, there is a significant racial gap in voter turnout, with White people historically voting at higher rates than Asian or Latina/Latino individuals.
Concerning international comparisons, it is false that voting rates are higher in the United States than in most democratic industrialized countries. Voter turnout in the U.S. tends to be lower than in other member nations of the OECD, including countries like Sweden and South Korea.
For more representative demographics among elected officials, voting advocacy groups work to improve voter participation across all segments of society.