Warm-Up (11/07) Indicate whether you SUPPORT, OPPOSE, or have NO OPINION on each of these issues. Abortion is a woman’s right. Companies should be required to hire more women and minorities. Sexual Orientation should be protected by civil rights. Prayer should be permitted in public schools. Death penalty. Mandatory “three strikes” sentencing laws. Absolute right to gun ownership. More federal funding for health coverage. Privatize social security. Parents choose schools with vouchers. Drugs damage society: enforce laws against use. Allow churches to provide welfare services. Decrease overall taxation on the wealthy. Immigration helps our economy – Encourage it. Support and expand free trade.

Voters & Voters Behavior Chapter 6 Voters & Voters Behavior

6.1 – The Right to Vote Extending Suffrage Voting Qualifications Voting Rights Extending Suffrage Voting Qualifications No religious 1. Any person must be qualifications allowed to vote in No restrictions based State & National on race or color elections No restrictions based 2. 15th Amendment sex 3. 19th Amendment No poll tax & addition 4. 24th Amendment of D.C. to the 5. 26th Amendment electorate Extending the voting age to 18 years of age

6.2 – Voter Qualifications Universal Requirements Citizenship – Aliens are generally denied the right to vote. Residence – Must be a legal resident of the United States. Nearly half of the States now require voters to have lived in the State for at least 30 days. Transients – Nearly every State does prohibit transients from gaining a legal residence there. (Ex. Traveling salesmen, college student, etc.) Age – No state may set the minimum age for voting in any election at more than 18.

Voter Qualifications Registration – Requires residents to register to vote. Created to prevent fraudulent voting Must provide name, age, place of birth, present address, length of residence, etc. “Motor Voter Law” – Every state must allow all eligible citizens to register to vote when they apply for or renew a driver’s license. (Created to increase voter turn-out) Literacy – No longer used. Required people to be able to read to vote. Tax Payment – No longer used. The 24th Amendment outlawed the poll tax.

6.3 – Suffrage & Civil Rights How important is the right to vote? Attempts to stop voters Poll Tax Literacy Test Grandfather Clause Gerrymandering: practice of drawing electoral district lines in order to limit the voting strength of a particular group or party.

Suffrage & Civil Rights The Voting Rights Act of 1965 Suspended the use of poll tax and literacy tests Required States to receive “Preclearance” before changing voting laws Amendments to the Act 1975 & 1982: Required ballots and other official election materials be printed both in English and in the language of the minority, or minorities, involved – Applies to communities that have a minority-language population of 10,000 or more persons

6.4 – Voter Behavior Idiots! – Nonvoters Why do people choose not to vote? “Cannot-Voters” Actual Nonvoters Convinced that their vote makes no real difference Distrust politics and politicians Inconvenient registration requirements Long ballots Long lines at polling places Lack of interest

Voter Behavior Sociological Factors that Influence Voters Income, Occupation Lower Income = Democrat Higher Income = Republican Education College graduates vote for Republicans in higher percentages than do high-school graduates Gender, Age Women tend to favor the Democrats by a margin of 5-10% Men tend to favor Republicans by a margin of 5-10% Younger voters have been more likely to be Democrats Older voters have been more likely to be Republicans

Voter Behavior Religious, Ethnic Background Geography Protestants prefer Republicans Jews and Catholics prefer Democrats Nonwhites have supported the Democratic Party Geography Family & Other Groups 9 out of 10 married couples share the same partisan leanings 2 out of 3 Americans vote the same way their parents did Those who work together and circles of friends also tend to vote similarly