1. VOTING AND ELECTIONS

2. To Vote or not to Vote Expansion of Suffrage Expansion of Suffrage All White men (1830s) All White men (1830s) All men (1860s) All men (1860s) All citizens (1920s) All citizens (1920s) Policy differences Policy differences Distinguish between parties Distinguish between parties Political efficacy Political efficacy Ordinary people can influence government Ordinary people can influence government Civic Duty Civic Duty Support democratic governments Support democratic governments Indifferent about the outcome Indifferent about the outcome

3. Registration System Adopted in the early 1900s to prevent voting fraud Adopted in the early 1900s to prevent voting fraud Procedures differ from one state to another Procedures differ from one state to another Upper Great Plains and Northwest Upper Great Plains and Northwest Easiest-register on election day Easiest-register on election day South South Difficult Difficult Lowest turn out rates Lowest turn out rates Motor Voting Act (1996) Motor Voting Act (1996) States permit citizens to register at the same time they apply for or renew a drivers license States permit citizens to register at the same time they apply for or renew a drivers license

4. CHARACTERISTICS Class-biased Activity Class-biased Activity Most important factor Most important factor Higher education and income more likely to vote Higher education and income more likely to vote Young People (21-35) Young People (21-35) Lowest turnout rate Lowest turnout rate Race Race Whites vote with greater frequency Whites vote with greater frequency Minority groups with same income as whites have higher turnout rates Minority groups with same income as whites have higher turnout rates Southerners less likely to vote Southerners less likely to vote Government employees highest participation Government employees highest participation Voting not connected to gender Voting not connected to gender

5. HOW AMERICANS VOTE Mandate Theory Mandate Theory Election winner should be forced to carry out campaign promises Election winner should be forced to carry out campaign promises Party identification Party identification Single best predictor of a voter’s decision except in the House of Representatives Single best predictor of a voter’s decision except in the House of Representatives Candidate evaluations Candidate evaluations Manipulate candidates appearance to attract voters Manipulate candidates appearance to attract voters Research shows most important characteristics are: Research shows most important characteristics are: Integrity, reliability, & competence Integrity, reliability, & competence

6. HOW AMERICANS VOTE Policy voting Policy voting Base choices on issue preferences Base choices on issue preferences Conditions Conditions Clear view of their positions Clear view of their positions Know where the candidate stands on issues Know where the candidate stands on issues See difference between candidates and issues See difference between candidates and issues Go vote Go vote Problems Problems Candidates don’t give a clear stance Candidates don’t give a clear stance Media focus on character attacks rather than issues Media focus on character attacks rather than issues

7. ELECTION PROCESS

8. ELECTORAL COLLEGE Created due to the founders concern of an uneducated public electing the president Created due to the founders concern of an uneducated public electing the president Since 1828, electors vote for the candidate who won their state’s popular vote Since 1828, electors vote for the candidate who won their state’s popular vote Each state has as many electoral votes as it has senators and representatives Each state has as many electoral votes as it has senators and representatives 538 (Washington DC gets 3 electoral votes) 538 (Washington DC gets 3 electoral votes) Winner take all system Winner take all system Except in Nebraska and Maine Except in Nebraska and Maine Electors meet in states in December and mail their votes to the president of the Senate (VP) Electors meet in states in December and mail their votes to the president of the Senate (VP) “ tradition” “ tradition”

9. ELECTORAL COLLEGE Votes counted by the new Congress in January Votes counted by the new Congress in January Results reported to the president of the Senate Results reported to the president of the Senate If no candidate receives an electoral majority (51%), the House of Representative must choose among the top three candidates If no candidate receives an electoral majority (51%), the House of Representative must choose among the top three candidates Magic Number-271 Magic Number-271 Each state gets one vote Each state gets one vote Big State Bias Big State Bias System gives extra attention to bigger states System gives extra attention to bigger states

10. UNDERSTANDING BEHAVIOR Elections accomplish two tasks: Elections accomplish two tasks: Select policy makers Select policy makers Shape public policy Shape public policy Connections to Democracy Connections to Democracy Voters influence policy by their choices Voters influence policy by their choices Especially when there is a clear difference in the views of the candidates Especially when there is a clear difference in the views of the candidates Retrospective voting Retrospective voting “What have you done for me?” “What have you done for me?” “Are you better off than you were four years ago?” “Are you better off than you were four years ago?” Public policy also effects elections Public policy also effects elections Economy Economy

11. EXAMPLE ELECTIONS 1800 1800 No Primaries, conventions, speeches, reporters No Primaries, conventions, speeches, reporters Candidates nominated in caucuses Candidates nominated in caucuses Candidates did not campaign Candidates did not campaign State and local political parties in charge of promoting their candidate State and local political parties in charge of promoting their candidate Focus of the campaign was the state legislatures Focus of the campaign was the state legislatures Selected the electors Selected the electors Partisan newspapers Partisan newspapers

12. EXAMPLE ELECTIONS 1896 1896 National nominating conventions National nominating conventions Major issue: economy Major issue: economy William J. Bryan actively campaigned in person William J. Bryan actively campaigned in person William McKinley-”Front Porch” campaign William McKinley-”Front Porch” campaign First campaign manager-Mark Hanna First campaign manager-Mark Hanna

13. EXAMPLE ELECTIONS 2000 2000 Recount in Florida Recount in Florida Done by hand Done by hand “Chads” “Chads” Bush V. Gore (2000) Bush V. Gore (2000) Recounts in all states Recounts in all states Not enough time Not enough time Declared Bush the winner Declared Bush the winner Regional divisions Regional divisions Bush-South & Mountain West Bush-South & Mountain West Gore-Northeast & Pacific Coast Gore-Northeast & Pacific Coast

14. EXAMPLE ELECTIONS 2000 2000 Results Results Electoral College Electoral College 271 to 266 (Bush) 271 to 266 (Bush) Popular vote Popular vote 48.4% to 47.9% (Gore) 48.4% to 47.9% (Gore) First time since 1888 that the two votes did not match First time since 1888 that the two votes did not match Serious discussion to reform proposals Serious discussion to reform proposals