Political Participation Quiz 3.13, Chapter 8

Voter Turn Out Facts Half of eligible voters vote on election day. 40% of eligible voters vote in the midterm elections. We have one of the lowest voter turn out of all the Western Democracies.

Is this comparison misleading? Different factors- registered v. total population Difficult to measure- many say they voted in surveys when they did not. expansion of those who are eligible to vote decreased election reporting Other countries have compulsory voting. -Why don’t we? Other forms of participation have increased. Has voter turn out actually declined?

Patterns of Voting Behavior Education Age Lowest under 20 ( high in other civic participation such as volunteering) Highest over 40 Race Sex Religion Closeness of race

The expansion of the Right to Vote Is every U.S. citizen of voting age is allowed to vote? 15 th Amendment- "the right of citizens of the United States to vote shall not be abridged by the United States or by any state on account of race, color, or previous condition of servitude?" Literacy test Poll tax Grandfather clause White primary 19 th Amendment- Women Note: Most voting regulations are left up to the states

Expansion of the right to vote 23 rd Amendment: gave voters in Washington, D.C., the right to vote in presidential elections. 24 th Poll tax 26 th Amendment- 18 year olds Voting Rights Act of 1965 Suspends literacy tests Appointed federal examiners who could order registration of blacks in areas where fewer than 50% were registered. imposition of criminal penalties for interfering with the right to vote.

participation groups inactives- avoid all participation Activists- participate in all forms Campaigners- vote and participate in campaigns Communalists- join non partisan organizations parochial participants- don’t vote, but write officials voting specialists- only vote

Efforts to increase voting turn out Decreasing Voter Fraud: Increased voter regulations results in lower turn out “vote early, vote often” Australian Ballot Registration drives Early Voting Same day registration (Maine, Minnesota, Oregon, and Wisconsin) Areas with high rate of non English speakers must provide ballot in their language. Motor Voter Act Resulted in an increase in independent voter registrations. Easing restrictions Example: Since 1970, federal law has prohibited states from having residency requirements longer than 30 days for presidential elections.