Mid-semester course evaluation 1. What do you like BEST about the class? 2. What would you like to see MORE of? 3. What do you like LEAST about the class? 4. What would you like to see LESS of? 5. Which category best describes the number of hours you spend weekly preparing for this class? a.0b. 1 c. 2-3 d. 4-5

Judicial assignment Supreme Court decisions that are on the docket ( Choose a case, choose a justice, predict or describe opinion Due May 3

Optional writing assignment (due March 24) Go to and read the Briefing on the 2004 election. According to the report, what issues need to be addressed before the next election? Which issue do you think is most pressing and why?

Participation and Voting

Political Participation actions of citizens that seek to influence politics – Conventional: voting, writing letters Suffrage (franchise) is the right to vote – Unconventional: protests

Why is voting important? – Elections confer legitimacy on government – retrospective or prospective judgment Ballot Box

Types of elections primary: elections to determine party candidate – open: choose party at time of vote – closed: limited to party members – blanket: voting not limited to party ballot general: elect to office

voting turnout Proportion of voting-age public that votes In 2004, voting age population was 221 million people. Nearly 120 million (54.2 percent) voted, 58.9 percent of eligible voters (excludes felons, ex-felons and immigrants who are not citizens) voted

More about turnout Highest percentage since Since the 1960s, the turnout has not reached 60% Turnout lowest in state, local elections Midterm elections have not reached 50% since 1920

Why don’t people vote?

demographic factors connected to voting Education is the strongest predictor of participation Income and age are also important

What about youth vote in 2004? Approximately 10 to 12 million year olds voted, with an estimated turnout rate of 48%. Turnout rate improved over the 2000 elections Age group favored John Kerry, and were important to result in several states Still lower percentage than other age groups (68 percent of year olds)

“mindset” factors connected to voting – rational ignorance: it makes sense to stay home Fig. 13.6: 27 percent “too busy” – civic duty (opposite): vote regardless of information – positive apathetics: happy with things the way they are – political impotents: lack efficacy (Chicago’s 24 th ward)

logistical factors connected to voting difficulty in registering to vote – Registration: entry of a person’s name onto a list of eligible voters; a person must meet certain requirements set by state law – easier since the Motor Voter Law, required states to allow registration at time get/renew driver’s license and at social services

Short time frame One day (work day) 2004 election: – long lines Absentee ballot

Voting fraud Help America Vote Act of 2002 – Provisional ballots for voters not on voter roll More than 1 million – Provided funds to states to improve election administration and replace outdated voting systems Lawsuits after 2004 election

E-voting 30 million Americans cast ballots electronically (by touch screen) Phantom votes, and voting results that did not match exit polls in Ohio Lost votes in North Carolina and Florida

Does it matter that people don’t vote? What do you think?

Question from Rage for Democracy what are the major reasons people did or did not participate in politics in each of the four communities?

Terms/concepts from the film political efficacy “vicious circle of non-participation” single-issue politics class based political party relationship between race and participation

History of the voting franchise In 1780s, only white, male, property owners could vote property requirements were removed by the states in the early and mid 1800s

15th amendment (1870) prohibited states from denying the right to vote “on account of race...or previous servitude” Southern states circumvented through the poll tax, literacy tests, the grandfather clause, and the white primary

Voting Rights Act (1965) authorized federal action in state election processes dramatically increased registration

Other constitutional expansions: 19th amendment (1920) – Women received the right to vote 23rd amendment (1961) – allowed residents of Washington, D.C. to elect electors to the electoral college 26th amendment (1971) – lowered voting age to 18