1. Voters and Voting Behavior
Chapter 6

2. Voters & Voting Behavior
Goals and Objectives:
Historical expansion of voting rights.
5 restrictions on States’ power to establish voting qualifications.
Voter qualifications by State.
Suffrage and Civil Rights by law and constitutional amendment.
Voter behavior and factors defining voting behavior.

3. Southpark Vote or Die

4. The Right To Vote Extended Suffrage (voting rights)
Elimination of Religious & Property requirements for white males.
15th amendment: Post Civil War
19th amendment: Women. Wyoming 1869
1964 Civil Rights Act; 1965 Voting Rights Act
23rd, 24th, 26th amendments

5. 5 Federal or Constitutional Restrictions on States
Equal eligibility to vote in all elections: Voting Rights Act of 1965
15th amendment-Race, Color, servitude
19th amendment-Women
24th amendment-No tax
26th amendment-18 years of age

6. Voter Qualifications
Citizenship: Born or Naturalized. Aliens cannot vote (unless they have an ID card or drivers license and register)
Minnesota: 3 month waiting period
Residence: Requirements tougher in the South. 6 months to 1 year
Dunn v. Blumstein: Voting Rights Act, Presidential Elections—Could you vote in two states? Explain How?

7. Voter Qualifications
Age: 26th amendment, 18 year old vote, 17 year olds voting in primaries if they turn 18 before general election.
Voter Identification:
Voter Registration: Except North Dakota
Literacy Requirements: Guinn vs U.S. (1915)
Tax Payments: Hill vs. Stone (1975) Texas
Persons Denied Right to Vote:
Dishonorable discharge
Mentally incompetent
Felons

8. Voting Challenges 2014

9. Voting Challenges 2014

10. Voter Qualifications

11. Voter Apathy Why? Religion: Jehvoah’s Witnesses
Mistrust of Government: Pentagon Papers, Vietnam, Iraq, etc…
Two-Party System:
Political Efficacy
Gerrymandering

12. The current fate of preclearance
Voting Rights Act of 1965 reversed by U.S. Supreme Court in 2013
Shelby County Alabama vs. Holder 2013 ends preclearance (Section 5 of Voting Rights Act)

13. Women & Voting

14. Age & Voting

15. Voting Behavior

16. Political Socialization
Personal Experiences
Relationships
Parents
Churches
School Environment (Success)
Group (Social)
Group (Economic)

17. Sociological Factors Republican: Democrat: White males Business Owners
Middle Income to Wealthy
Professional Employees
Protestants, Mormons
Traditional Families
Retired Investors
Solid South, Rural, Burbs
Democrat:
African Americans & Latinos
Labor Unions
Poor
Government Employees
Low Skilled employees
Catholics & Jews & Muslims & Atheists
Single-Income Parents
Big Cites in Northeast, Pacific West

18. Free Stuff & Voting Behavior

19. Psychological Factors
Party Identification: Loyalty to party platform and politics. (Pocket-bookers)
Straight-Ticket Voters
Split-Ticket Voters
Independents