1. Voter Turnout Learning Objective 4: Analyze changes in voting patterns and behavior over time among demographic groups including religion, gender, race, age, and education.

2. Historical Qualifications  Religion (eliminated by state leg.)  Property (eliminated by state leg.)  Race (eliminated by 15 th amend.)  Sex (eliminated by 19 th amend.)  Income (eliminated by 24 th amend; poll tax)  Literacy (eliminated by Voting Rights Act ’65)  Min. age of 21 (eliminated by 26 th amend.)

3. Current Qualifications  Citizenship  Residency (21 days before election in OR.)  Age (18; 26 th Amend)  Registration (in all states, except N. Dakota)

4. Turnout in the U.S.  U.S. --  50% in presidential, 30-40% in midterm congressional elec., lower in state/local (decline since ’60)  Industrialized countries (W. Europe)--  as high as 90%  Why?  Some countries impose penalties (e.g, fines, stamped papers)  Multi-party system allows for more clear choices  Automatic/same day registration  Voting as national holiday or on weekends

5. General elections  National  60.1% in ’04  36.8% in ’06 mid-terms  61.7% in ’08 general  37.8% in ’10 mid-terms  58.7% in ’12 general  Oregon  64.3% in ‘12 (#14 in Country)  48.7% in ‘10 mid-terms  85.6% in ’08 gneral Learning Objective 4:  Analyze changes in voting patterns and behavior over time among demographic groups including religion, gender, race, age, and education.

6. Barriers to Voting  Registration: National Voter Registration Act 1993: “Motor Voter Bill” designed to increase turnout  Ballot Fatigue (excessive number of measures/offices to vote on)  Excessive number of elections  Type of election  General Election > Primary Election (where you vote for nominee of party)  Presidential > Legislative  National > State

7. Barriers Continued  Absentee ballots (if living abroad)  Young people have lowest turnout  Political Reasons  Political efficacy  Dissatisfaction  Lack of strong 2-party competition  Weakness of parties in mobilizing voters

8. Who Votes?  Level of education: greatest predictor of voting, those with higher income vote more regardless of race, sex, or income status  Income: higher income level votes more often  Age: older voters more likely to vote  Race: whites more likely to vote, blacks more likely than hispanics  Sex: historically women voted at lower rate than men, comparable today.

9. Does Turnout Matter  If voters represented a true cross section of the U.S. (e.g., race, gender, income), than low turnout would matter  Older whites with high levels of income are over- represented (problem of class bias)  Studies show that nonvoters are not that politically different from voters and would not vote in a significantly different way Learning Objective 4:  Analyze changes in voting patterns and behavior over time among demographic groups including religion, gender, race, age, and education.

10. Other Forms of Participation  Petitions  Demonstrations/Marches  Local Party Mtgs.  Campaign Contributions  Writing letters/e-mail  Trying to persuade others