1. Chapter 6: Voters and Voter Behavior

2. The History of Voting Rights
Constitution purposely left the power to each State.
Suffrage means the right to vote. (Franchise)
Electorate is all of the people entitled to vote.
Initially, only white male property owners could vote.

3. History (Continued) Framers and Suffrage America’s Electorate
The American electorate is greater than 200 million people.
Five Stages of Suffrage . . .

4. Five Stages of Suffrage
Early 1800s – religious, property, and tax payment were eliminated.
15th Amendment (1870) – end race-based voting requirements.
19th Amendment (1920) – suffrage for women.
Voting Rights Act of 1965 – guaranteed voting rights for minorities.
23rd Amendment (1961) – District of Columbia vote for presidents.
The 24th Amendment (1964) – eliminated the poll tax.
The 26th Amendment (1971) – voting age to 18.

5. Power to Set Voting Qualifications
Constitution and States
No federal power to set suffrage qualifications.
Five Restrictions
All voters vote in all elections.
15th Amendment
19th Amendment
24th Amendment
26th Amendment

6. Voter Qualifications Universal Requirements Citizenship Residence Age
Registration
Not Required
Literacy
Tax Payment
Persons Denied the Vote

8. Suffrage and Civil Rights
Fifteenth Amendment
(1870) cannot be denied to any citizen
of the U.S. because of race,
color, or previous servitude.
Smith v Allwright
Outlawed White Primary
Gomillion v Lightfoot
Outlawed Gerrymandering
Civil Rights Act 1957
Created Civil Rights Commission to investigated and reported voter discrimination
Attorney General had power to require federal courts to issue orders to prevent any interference with a person’s right to vote

9. Civil Rights Act of 1964 Discrimination Voting Rights Injunctions
Court orders that either force or restrain specific acts.
Selma, Alabama
Violent response of civilians and police and state troopers showed that the Civil Rights Acts of 1957, 1960 and 1964 were still not enough to ensure voter equality.

10. Voting Rights Act of 1965 15th Amendment Applied to All Elections
5 Years; Extended 3x
-Provisions of Voting Rights Act of 1965
-Led to the abolishment of the poll tax
-Outlawed the use of any kind of literacy test
-Mandated preclearance
-Later amendments added a language-minority provision

11. Voter Behavior Non-Voters “Cannot Voters” Apathy Idiots???
80 Million in 2004
“Cannot Voters”
12.5% are Resident Aliens
Apathy
“Time Zone Fallout”
Do not believe that their vote will make a difference

12. Voter Influence Income, Occupation Education Gender or Age Religion
Geography
Family
Party ID
Candidates