1. The Importance of Voting

2. The Right to Vote
History of Suffrage in U.S. (Who could vote at the time and how did suffrage change?)
1789-white, male property owners
1800’s-religious restrictions removed
Mid 1800’s- elimination of property ownership & tax payments
After Civil War- 15th amendment (race and color removed)
th amendment allowed women to vote
1960’s- Vote Rights Act passed to ensure racial equality at the polls
year olds allowed vote 26th amendment

3. The Right to Vote
Power to Set Voting Qualifications Power “reserved” to States (5 Restrictions of set by the Constitution)
Anyone allowed to vote for “most numerous” office of state legislature allowed to vote for representatives of Congress
States can’t deny a voter because of “race, color, or former servitude
Can’t be deprived right to vote because gender
Can’t be required to pay a tax
Can’t be denied the right to vote as long as eighteen or older

4. Voter Qualifications Among the States
Citizenship-nothing in Constitution denies aliens the right to vote
Minnesota is the only state that requires that you can be a citizen for 3 months
Confused aliens may register and vote
Residence-usually required to live in a state for a certain period of time
Stops political machines from recruiting outsiders to affect local elections (“vote now-vote often”)
Gives people time to become familiar with local candidates and issues
Length of residency requirement-average residence is 30 days, some shorter/ S.C. prohibited transients (armed forces, students, traveling salesman) from gaining legal residence

5. Voter Qualifications Among the States
Age-26th amendment
18 years of age-changed because of Vietnam War
17 year olds can vote in primary if they will be 18 by general election of that year in some states
Other Qualifications
Registration-process that identifies voters and prevents voter fraud
Must give name, address, and length of residency
Computers (Electronic Voting Machines-still could produce fraud if no written notification is given)
Registration
Motor-voter Law (1993)
Register by mail
Forms are made available at employment, welfare, and social services offices

6. Voter Qualifications Among the States
Literacy requirement
Used to determine capacity to cast an informal vote
Used to prevent certain groups from voting—whites didn’t have to take a test
Voting Rights Act (1970)-S.C. literacy test in which blacks interpret the constitution in Oregon v Mitchell
Tax Payment
Poll tax-discouraged African Americans from voting
24th amendment outlawed poll tax

7. Voter Qualifications Among the States
Who Can’t Vote?
Those in mental hospitals
Mentally incompetent
Those convicted of serious crimes/felons (this law might change in MD)
Dishonorable discharged
homeless

8. Participation Inactive
1/5 th of the population does not participate in any way
They do not vote or talk about politics
Typically little education, low income and young
Voting Specialists
These individuals vote but do not participate in any other manner
Typically older and have little education
Campaigners
They vote and get and enjoy working on political campaigns
Have more than average education, tend to engage in political controversy, and have a strong identification with a particular political party

9. Participation Communalists
Have more than average education, tend to engage in political controversy, feel strongly connected to the community and engage in community based activities and contact local officials
Parochials
Do not participate in campaigns but contact officials with problems or issues
Activists
Consists of 1/9th of the population
Are highly educated, have high incomes, and a tendency to be middle aged
They participate in all forms of politics

10. Groups of Participation
Conventional
Widely accepted modes of action
Voting
Trying to persuade others
Petitioning
Money to campaigns
Running for office
Although voting trends have swung back and forth and recently have been on the decline these other conventional forms are on the rise
Unconventional
Dramatic activities
Protesting
Civil disobedience
More violent acts
Although often controversial forms it often attracts media attention and has been successfully used to influence gov’t policy especially during the civil rights movement of the 1950’s and 1960’s (civil disobedience)

11. Nonvoting Size of Problem
196 million eligible to vote (1996), only 96 million voted in that Presidential election
81 million cast vote in “off year” election for House of representatives/state representatives
Even more common in local elections
More people vote in general elections than in primaries

12. Nonvoting Why People Don’t Vote Cannot Vote
6 million are resident aliens
Illness/physically impaired
Traveling unexpectedly
Mental condition
Jailed
Religious reasons
Race
Actual Nonvoters-purposely refrain from voting
Satisfied with system and don't want to change
Distrust of politicians (political efficacy)
Squeezed out of process/poor
Cumbersome process of registration
Time zone fallout (media announces winner on east coast)
Lack of interest

13. Nonvoting Factors Affecting Turnout Income Education Occupation
Integration into community
Political identification
Believe voting is an important act

14. Voter Behavior Study of Voter Behavior
3 sources that have been studied
Election results
Survey research
Political; socialization
Factors that influence
Personal characteristics (age, race, income, occupation, education, and religion)
Affiliation-family, co-workers, friends (Family 1st influence)
Voter’s perception of politics

15. Voter Behavior Sociological Factors
Income/occupation middle to upper class (Rep)/lower income (Dem)
Education-close relationship between education and voting (college grads vote more republican than H.S. grads, while H.S. grads vote more Rep than those who don’t finish
Age & gender-these groups differ on response to war, gender gap created in 1980’s, younger the voter the more they vote Democratic usually

16. Voter Behavior Geography
After Civil War-south became the solid south and voted Dem. (radical Republicans/Blacks-Republican until FDR
In past 30 years South votes more rep.
Rep. get more support from Northeast (main & Vermont), as does Midwest (Kansas, Nebraska, an Dakotas)
Dem. Hold more of the cities of Northeast & rep. Hold more Dem. Of the suburban vote
Religion Protestants vote more Rep., while Catholics vote more Dem.
Ethnic interests-until 1930’s African Americans voter rep. in northern cities, after that they tended to vote more Dem. (Hispanics tend to vote more Dem., but Cubans vote more Rep.-Professionals (Conservative) left Cuba

17. Voter Behavior Psychological factors-voter’s perception of politics
Party Identification
Identify with one party in every election (straight ticket voting)
Split-ticket voting (vote for candidates of more than one party in same election)
Independent-no party affiliation
Short-term Factors issues and candidates
Most voters identify with one party or another
Don’t always vote that way
One issue may sway the change for that election
Issue or candidate