1. Bell Ringer Nobody will ever deprive the American people of the right to vote except the American people themselves and the only way they could do this is by not voting. –Franklin D. Roosevelt Do you agree with Roosevelt? Why or Why not?

2. The Right To Vote

3. Objectives: Summarize the history of voting rights in the United States. Identify and explain constitutional restrictions on the State’s power to set voting qualifications.

4. History of Voting Rights What are terms that mean “right to vote”? Suffrage and Franchise

5. When the constitution first went into effect in 1789, the right to vote was only given to ________ male property owners. Electorate- the potential voting population

6. Extending Suffrage: The Five Stages 1. early 1800’s: Religious qualifications disappeared 2. post civil war: 15 th amendment 1870- took away the race and color voting restrictions 3. 19 th amendment: no longer denied the right to vote because of sex 4. 1960’s: secured the right for African Americans to vote 5. 26 th Amendment of 1971- voting age now set to 18 years old

7. The Power to Set Voting Qualifications 1. has no real meaning today 2. 15 th amendment: no state can deprive the right to vote “ on account of race, color, or previous condition of servitude” 3. 19 th amendment: No state can deprive any person of the right to vote on account of sex 4. 24 th amendment: No state can require payment on any tax in order to vote 5. 26 th amendment: No state can deprive any person who is at least 18 years old the right to vote

8. Why have people risked their lives to get and keep the right to vote?

9. The Five Steps to the Voting Process 1. Determine if you are eligible 2. Register to Vote 3. Study the candidates and issues 4. Go to your polling place 5. Cast your vote

10. Voter Qualifications

11. Objectives Identify the universal requirements for voting in the United States. Explain the other requirements that States have used or still use as voting qualifications

12. Universal Requirements 1. Citizenship every state requires that any person who wants to vote must qualify on three factors: citizenship, residency, and age.

13. Universal Requirements 2. Residence Why do you think states have residence requirements to vote? Why is it that now days the residency requirement has been reduced?

14. Universal Requirements 3. Age “Old enough to fight, old enough to vote”

15. Universal Requirements 4. Registration Procedure of voter identification intended to prevent fraudulent voting. Purging

16. Universal Requirements 5. Literacy-a persons ability to read or write. 6. Tax Payment

17. Persons Denied the Vote Every state does purposely deny the right to vote to certain persons.

18. Objectives: -examine the problem of nonvoting in this country, and describe the size of the problem -identify people who do not vote -examine the behavior of those who vote and those who do not Voter Behavior

19. Nonvoters Idiot= idiots (Greek) meaning those citizens who did not vote or otherwise take part in public life.

20. The Size of the Problem “non-voting voters” “ballot fatigue” Off-year elections= congressional elections held in the even-numbered years between presidential elections

21. Why People Do Not Vote “Cannot-Voters”- Although it is true that they do not vote, the fact is they cannot do so Mainly do to immigrant populations that are barred from the polls Being ill or physically disabled Or out of town for reasons Those in mental health facilities Legal restraint, jail or prison Religious beliefs

22. Actual Nonvoters Convinced it makes little difference who wins a particular election Group of people who approve of what has been happening and don’t want to change it Group of people who do not trust the political institution and its processes Political efficacy- belief that they or their votes will not have any real impact on what government does Lack of interest

23. Comparing Voters and Nonvoters Voters- Higher income Education Higher occupational status Well integrated into community life, long time residents, and comfortable with surroundings Believe that voting is important Nonvoters- Younger than 35 Unmarried Unskilled More nonvoters live in south or rural areas

24. Voters and Voting Behavior Most of what is known about voter behavior comes from three sources. The results of particular elections The field of survey research Studies of political socialization

25. Factors That Influence Voters Sociological factors= 1. a voters personal characteristics- age, race, income, occupation, education, and religion 2. A voters group affiliations- family, co-workers, friends Psychological Factors= How the voter sees the parties, the candidates, and the issues in an election

26. Sociological Factors Income, Occupation Education Gender, Age Religious, Ethnic Background Geography Family and other groups

27. Psychological Factors Party Identification Straight-ticket voting Split-ticket voting independents Candidates and issues