1. Unit III: Elections, Campaigns, The News Media Ch
Unit III: Elections, Campaigns, The News Media Ch. 9 (new book): Elections
Read pg. 280: What if online voting became universal? Answer the following questions: a. Which group(s) would be most likely to vote over the internet? b. Which group(s) would be least likely to vote over the internet? c. How would the Democratic party be affected by internet  voting? d. How would the Republican party respond to voting via  internet?

2. Objectives
Demonstrate an understanding of the electoral process in the United States, and explain how it relates to democratic theory.
Discuss the factors that influence voter turnout in the United States, and compare American voter turnout to that of other nations.
Describe historical restrictions on the vote in the United States, and explain how these restrictions have been ended.
Describe the types of elections held in the United States, and explain constitutional reasons for so many elections.
Discuss the impact of the mechanics and technology of voting on voter turnout, vote fraud, and the ability of citizens to trust the process.

3. VOTER TURNOUT Voter Turnout State elections when Prez election held
Local elections
Lower
Weird?
Electoral Process
Turning out to vote—just because an individual wins the popular vote, it doesn’t mean they won the majority of voting age.
Voter turnout: % of eligible voters who actually “turn out” on election day to cast their ballots
Average turnout in state elections is 14% higher when presidential election is held
Local elections: 25% or less of electorate vote (mayor, city council, county auditory)
People should be more likely to vote in elections that directly affect them.
Vote counts more—less people
Issues touch immediate interest: crime, school bonds, sewer bonds

4. Effect of Low Voter Turnout: 2 schools of thought
Threat to Republican Democratic System
Too few with power
Cynicism
Complicated issues/ indifference
Negative view
2. Satisfaction with status quo
a. Republican Democracy still works with small #s
Electoral Process
Turning out to vote …
3. Effects of Low Voter Turnout
2 schools of thought
Threat to Republican Democratic System
Too few wielding power
Cynicism about political system
Issues are too complicated
Vote won’t make a difference
Indicates satisfaction with the status quo
a. Republican Democratic system still works with small #s

5. IS VOTER TURNOUT DECLINING?
Problem: eligible to vote v. voting age
Ex: 2008
225.5 million
206 million
 Voter turnout has “declined” bc of increasing size of ineligible pop—immigrants
Electoral Process
Turning out to vote …
3. Effects of Low Voter Turnout
4. Is voter turnout declining?
Problem compare # of people who actually vote with voting age population (not eligible voters)
Includes felons, ex-felons, new immigrants, living abroad citizens (absentee ballots)
Ex: 2008
Voting age: million
3.2 million = ineligible felons and ex-felons
17.5 million noncitizens
Did not include 3.3 million Americans abroad
Eligible voters = 206 million
Voter turnout was 64% not 58%
b. One argument: voter turnout has declined since 1972 bc of the icreasing size of ineligible population (due to immigration)

6. Who Does Vote in America?
People with a high sense of political efficacy vote!
What factors influence who votes?
Age
Education
Race
Gender
Socio-economic status
Political efficacy = those who have strong sense of civic duty and believe ordinary people can influence the gov’t.

7. Age and the Vote in America
Age: the older the more likely to vote
Old peoplezzz
Settled
Already registered
More experience voting as expected activity
More leisure time to learn about candidates
AARP target
Young peoplezzz:
1. 26th Amendment: 18 to vote (young enough to fight, young enough to vote) however:
Young people never exhibit high turnout rate
1. Change residence frequently
2. few ties to community
3. Not see election issues as relevant to them

8. Education and the Vote in America
Higher education = higher chance of voting

9. Race and the Vote in America
Whites vote the most BUT…… the highly educated minorities with high income levels actually vote in higher rates
3. Minority Status
a. Non-latino whites in 2008 voted at a 66.1%
b. Non-latino AA 64.7 (up 5% from 2004—Obama AA)
c. Latino 49.9% (up 5% from 2004)
d. Asian-Americans 47.6%
low Latino and Asian America may occur bc not yet citizens or due to language issues

10. Gender and the Vote in America
Gender: Women vote in higher numbers --- and gender gap = women vote Democrat more than Republican
Marital Status: married vote more than single

11. Income Level & the Vote
Socio-economic Class: High education, income = the most important factor in who will vote
4. Income Level
a. wealthy people overrepresented in elections
b. 2008: voter turnout for those with the highest annual family incomes was
almost twice the turnout for those with lwst annual family incomes
According to political scientist, social class is the largest indicator of

12. Your Turn:
Is there any connection between the region of the country you live in and whether you will turnout to vote?
Why do some states have higher voter turnout rates than others?
Does where you are employed have any effect on voter turnout rates?
Divide class into three groups and have them “research” the answers….
Have groups spend 5-7 minutes in research and report out in whole class discussion
Generally, north votes better than south; Gov’t employees and union workers vote in high numbers

13. WHY PEOPLE DON’T VOTE Uninformative Media Horse race
Negative campaigning
All ugly
The Rational Ignorance Effect: an effect produced when people purposely and rationally decide not to become informed on an issue because they believe their vote on the issue is not likely to be a deciding one
Uninformative Media Coverage and Negative Campaigning
media-> horse race , which candidates are ahead in the polls than about the actual policy positions of the candidates
Thus voters don’t receive the kind of information that would provide them with incentive to go to polls on election day
Negative campaigning—adverse effect on voter turnout
All info bad, no candidate is appealing
Rational Ignorance Effect
Quote: director of 2000 Harvard University’s Center on the Press, Politics and Public Policy
“All the polls, the spin, the attack ads, the money and the negative news have soured Americans on the way we choose our president”

14. Why do Americans vote on Tuesdays?
5. Watch: Why do Americans vote on Tuesdays (attached) and discuss with the information provided in the Infographic as well.
Video hyperlinked!

15. VOTER REGISTRATION Another reason people don’t vote –
claim it’s a hardship to register
Purpose of voter registration:
to disenfranchise immigrants
to prevent corruption associated with stuffing ballot boxes
STATES set registration procedures
FL – can vote if registered 29 days before the election
Motor Voter Acts of 1993/6 allow voters to register when getting driver’s licenses
Registration increased; turnout did NOT
Purpose in the early 1800s of starting voter registration was to disenfranchise the flood of immigrants at that time
Purpose later in the 19th century was to prevent polkitical corruption during the Gilded Age – stuffing ballot boxes by political machines
4 states allow registration on election day

16. PLANS FOR IMPROVING VOTER TURNOUT
Mail-in voting (Oregon)
Easier access to registration
 Turnout still low
Visit polls up to 3 weeks in advance
Absentee ballot—no reason
Mail-in voting and easier access to registration have been implemented
 Voter turnout remains relatively low
Allow voters to visit the polls up to three weeks before election day
Allow voters to vote by absentee ballot without having to give any particular reason for doing so
Committee for the Study of the American electorate discovered, that in areas where they’ve implemented these plans, neither plan has increased voter turnout
Voter turnout actually fell in those jurisdictions
Vote on Sunday?
National holiday?

17. Review Time!
Find a partner and brainstorm in bulleted lists how you would respond to the following prompt:
In the United States political system, there are several linkage institutions that can connect citizens to government. Elections constitute one such institution. Because of low voter turnout, elections represent an imperfect method of linking citizens to their government. Even when there is low voter turnout, however, other linkage institutions can connect citizens to government.
Describe how each of the following is related to the likelihood of voting.
Identify one current government electoral requirement that decreases voter turnout. Explain how it decreases voter turnout.
Identify one linkage institution other than elections and explain two ways it connects citizens to government.