Voting Rights Terminology Suffrage: the right to vote Franchise: same as suffrage Electorate: those legally eligible to vote

Political Participation In Western Europe democracies, about 80% vote Common misconceptions are that Americans are apathetic, and that government and private groups need to be mobilized to get out the vote. Only about 50% of the voting-age population cast ballots in 2000

Why Nonvoting? #1 reason--State registration requirements In Europe, registration is automatic Youth and Minorities are increasing in # Political parties no longer mobilize Motor-Voter Bill attempts to rectify the situation. More independents registered. Americans find other ways to participate—fighting city hall, giving to campaigns, working for campaigns Non-voting indicates relative satisfaction of electorate

Verba and Nie’s Forms of Political Participation Inactives: rarely vote or contribute (22%, young, many blacks, low income, low education) Voting Specialists: Not much education or income, older Campaigners: More education, interested in politics, identify with party, take strong positions Nonpartisan local activists Parochial participants: Don’t vote, but contact politicians on certain issues Participate in all forms of politics, activists (highly educated, high income, middle aged, 11%)

Causes of Participation Education Churchgoers vote more Gender makes no difference Wealth (esp. among blacks) No correlation between mistrust/not voting Parties less effective in mobilizing

Voting History When Constitution ratified, vote was limited to taxpayers and property owning males By Jackson era, all white males Most British men didn’t receive franchise until 1884 (Great. Reform Act)

Voting Restrictions Usually must be a citizen Residency: must be a citizen of your state for at least 30 days (exception: college students) Age 18 (in most) 49 states require registration (ND) Literacy tests not permitted Oregon v. Mitchell, 1970

How Blacks Were Prevented From Voting Literacy Tests Poll Taxes Grandfather Clauses protected whites (if Grandpa could vote in 1867, you could—declared unconstitutional in 1915) White primary (unconstitutional in 1944) Intimidation

Permissible Voting Restrictions States must allow voters for State legislatures vote in Congressional elections No state can deprive someone of suffrage because of race No state can deprive someone of suffrage because of sex No state can deprive anyone from voting based on age if they are 18. (26th Amend.) No state can charge poll taxes to vote in federal elections—and Supreme Court has stated that state elections can’t be taxed

The Civil Rights Movement and Suffrage 15th Amendment; good but non-self executing Gerrymandering was a problem Wesberry vs. Sanders—population differences between districts in GA so “bad” it violated the Constitution (’63) Civil Rights Acts of 1957, 1960, 1964..see next slide

Landmark Civil Rights Acts 1957 Act: Set up Civil Rights Commission, gave Attorney General the power to seek injunctions—federal court orders that tell someone to do something or not do something 1960 Act: Federal Voting Referees 1964 Act: Outlaws discrimination in public and private Voting Rights Act of 1965: States must clear new laws with DOJ if they are listed as potentially civil rights violators, must print ballots in local minority languages. Suspended literacy tests, appointed federal examiners, set up criminal penalties

Motor-Voter Law (1993) Opposed by Republicans, although we’re not really sure if turnout affects election results: Non-whites and Latinos tend to be most underrepresented of American voters (blacks less so than Latinos, since they attend churches that stimulate political activity, Latinos have a language barrier It’s a mandate that requires states to permit people to register to vote when they apply for motor vehicle registration. States mad because federal government did not provide funds to staff offices…some challenged Motor-Voter in court

Chapter Summary American voters tend not to vote because of registration problems The most powerful determinants of participation are schooling and then race Americans vote more frequently and for many more offices, and hence elections make a bigger difference in how public affairs are conducted. Americans also participate more frequently in nonelectoral ways of supporting candidates.