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

2. 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

3. 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

4. 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%)

5. 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

6. 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)

7. 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

8. 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

9. 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

10. 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, see next slide

11. 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

12. 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

13. 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.