1. CH. 6: Voter Behavior!

2. Voting Qualification:
Only states can set voting qualifications.
1) Those who can vote, can also vote for Senators and Reps.
2) No state can deny a qualified person the right to vote.
3) Cannot be denied to vote based on GENDER.
4) No state can require you to pay to vote.
5) State can not deny those 18 year or older.

3. 6.1 The Right to Vote Democracy depends on YOU…..so go out & VOTE!!
Framers left powers to states to set qualifications.
Suffrage= The right to vote
Franchise= another term with the same meaning
The 1st restriction to vote was for white male property owners.
Electorate- potential voting population.

4. Restrictions were based on:
Religious Belief, Property Ownership, tax payment, race, & sex.
Fed. Gov has assumed much of states’ powers.
5 Stages of Suffrage:
1) Elimination of property ownership, religious beliefs, & tax payment restrictions.
2) 15th amendment protected citizens from denial based on race and color.
3) 19th amendment protected citizens from denial based on sex.
4) Voting Rights Act (1965)= racial equality
23rd Amendment- voting DC
24th Amendment- eliminated poll tax.

5. Power to Set Qualifications
5) 18 & Over can vote!
Power to Set Qualifications
1) If you can vote in a state, you vote for members of congress.
2) No state can deprive anyone from the right to vote! (15th Amendment)
3) No state can deprive anyone from the right to vote based on sex (19th Amend)
4) No state can require payment to vote.
5) No state can deprive anyone at least 18 years old or older!

6. 6.2 Voter Qualifications Universal Requirements 1) Citizenship
Must be a US citizen to vote.
Constitution does not state this requirement.
2) Residence
Must be a legal resident of state to vote
Why? To keep outsiders from influencing outcome & allow new citizens to become familiar w/ candidates.
Voting Rights Act= No more than 30 days residence.
States prohibit transients.
3) Age
26th Amend= 18 years minimum to vote
Georgia was the first.
“Old enough to fight, old enough to vote.”

7. Other Qualifications Registration (20-30 days before) Literacy
All voters must provide ID to prevent fraud.
Voters can list party preference.
Motor Voter Law register to vote when applying/renewing, by mail, or any GOV office
Registered forever…..unless
Purging- removing names no longer eligible
Poll books- list of all those registered.
Literacy
Proving a persons ability to read or write.
Used to disenfranchise African Americans and minorities.

8. Tax Payment Denied Poll tax payment in order to vote.
Originated in Florida in 1889
24th Amend= Illegal to charge tax.
Denied
Those in mental institutions or found mentally competent.
Those charged with serious crimes.
Those dishonorably discharged from military.

9. Bell Ringer
Write a 1 paragraph story where a talking rabbit is the main character.
Put HW on your DESK!

10. 6.3 Suffrage & Civil Rights
15th Amendment:
Purpose is to extend suffrage to Af. Americans.
Right to vote cannot be denied based on color, race, or servitude.
Was not enforceable by law.
Af. Am. Were kept from voting through the use of… literacy tests, poll tax, & violence.
Gerrymandering: the practice of drawing electoral district lines in order to limit the voting strength of a group or party.
White Primary- excluded Af. Am. from participating in primaries.

11. Civil Rights Legislation
Civil Rights Act 1957:
Set up a Commission to report discrimination to Congress, Pres, & media.
Allowed for Fed. Court Orders to prevent interference of people’s rights.
Civil Rights Act of 1964
Forbids the use of any voter registration & literacy test requirement in a discriminatory manner.
Injunction: is court order that compels or restrains the performance of some act by a private individual of by a public official.

12. Voting Rights Act of 1965 Enforced the 15th Amendment!
It applied to ALL elections!
Only to be effective for 5 years, but amendments extended to 25 years.
Dept. of Justice must give PRECLEARANCE to change or create election laws.
In 1992: Ballots must be printed in the language of a minority community with 10K or more people.

13. Ch. Review pg 174:
Questions 1-5, 11-12, 15-26

14. Bell Ringer 10/20 1 Paragraph:
Why is voting so important to our system of government? In your opinion, why are so many people registering to vote this election than in any other election in recent history?

15. Voter Behavior “Your vote, Your voice.” – Rock the Vote Nonvoters
Greek word for “idiot” comes from idiotes- citizens who don’t vote
Those who don’t vote, don’t get to complain!
The Problem
Millions of people do not vote.
Off year elections are the worst. (Congressional)
Voter Fatigue- farther down the ballot, the less votes they get.

16. Why? Cannot voters- aliens, disabled, sick, physical disablities.
Actual Nonvoters- people who choose not to vote.
Political Efficacy- lack of sense about their own influcence in politics.
Why? They feel they can’t make a difference.
They are content with status quo, They distrust politicans, They dislike the process, etc
Those who are more likely to vote share the following characteristics: Higher income, education, status.
Those more likely not to vote are: younger than 35, unmarried, unskilled, southern, rural.

17. Voter Behavior The Study of Behavior:
1) Results of a particular election
2) The Field of Survey Research
3) Studies of Political Socialization
How people gain their political attitudes & opinions.
Process begins in childhood. What were their experiences?

18. Factors that Influence Voters
Psychological= Study of the mind & individual behavior.
What are the voter’s perception on politics, parties, candidates, & issues
Sociological= How do we behave in groups?
1) Personal Characteristics
2) Group Affiliation

19. Sociological Factors Low= Democrats High= Republican 2) Education
1) Income
Low= Democrats
High= Republican
2) Education
College grads vote Republican more than HS grads.
3) Gender/Age
Gender Gaps: Differences in voting for Men & Women.
Men = Republican Women= Democrats
4) Religious/ Ethnic
Protestants= GOP Jews/Catholics= Demo Minorities= Demo
5) Geography
Blue vs Red States
Cities= Demo Suburbs/Rural= GOP
6) Family/Groups
Vote the same as your family.

20. Psychological Factors
1) Party Identification
Loyalty to a Pol. Party
Straight-Ticket Voting
Spilt-Ticket Voting
Independents
2) Candidates & Issues
Who do you like or trust the most?
What issues are important to you?

21. Assignment
Create a 2 minute commercial about why it is important vote.
Remember you are selling a product. Make sure you tell your viewers why they need the product in their lives!