The Nonvoting Problem? Alleged problem: low voter turnout in U.S. compared to Europe But perhaps not as much of a problem as we think Real problem is low voter registration rates Remember, voting is not the only method of participation

Change in Control States initially decided who could vote and for which offices Through various laws and constitutional amendments, Congress has reduced state prerogatives 15 th Amendment (1870) “Grandfather Clause” declared unconstitutional th Amendment (1920) 23 rd Amendment (1961) Voting Rights Act of th Amendment (1971) National standards now govern most aspects of voter eligibility

Voter Turnout Two theories regarding declining percentages of eligible adults who vote Real decline caused by lessening popular interest and decreasing party mobilization Apparent decline caused by more honest ballot counts Several causes probably contribute to a real decline More difficult registration No uniform national voting system Calculation of turnout