Chapter 6 Chapter 6

VotingVoting

SECTION 1SECTION 1

The Constitution and The Constitution and the Right to Votethe Right to Vote

The History of Voting The History of Voting Rights in the United Rights in the United

StatesStates

What were the original What were the original provisions for voting in the provisions for voting in the

United States?United States? framers of Constitution framers of Constitution

purposely left power to set purposely left power to set up suffrage qualifications up suffrage qualifications up to the statesup to the states

the right to vote was the right to vote was restricted to white male restricted to white male adult property owners adult property owners

What have been the trends What have been the trends in the history of suffrage?in the history of suffrage?

The gradual elimination of The gradual elimination of restrictions based on religion, restrictions based on religion, property ownership, tax property ownership, tax payment, race and, sex, and payment, race and, sex, and ageage

power over suffrage has been power over suffrage has been assumed by the federal assumed by the federal government from the statesgovernment from the states

How has the American How has the American electorate grown over electorate grown over

time?time? early 1800's - religious early 1800's - religious

tax, and property tax, and property restrictions removedrestrictions removed

post Civil war - post Civil war - 15th 15th AmendmentAmendment prohibited prohibited restriction based on restriction based on race or colorrace or color

In 1920, the 19In 1920, the 19thth Amendment Amendment granted women granted women suffragesuffrage

1960's - 1960's - enforcement of enforcement of civil rights acts civil rights acts prohibited racial prohibited racial restriction in restriction in polling placespolling places

23rd Amendment 23rd Amendment allowed residents of allowed residents of Washington D.C. to Washington D.C. to vote in Presidential vote in Presidential electionelection

24th Amendment 24th Amendment eliminated poll taxeliminated poll tax

1971 - 26th 1971 - 26th Amendment- 18 Amendment- 18 year old voteyear old vote

Power to set voting Power to set voting qualifications is qualifications is

reserved to the statesreserved to the states

What restrictions are placed What restrictions are placed on the States by the on the States by the

Constitution?Constitution? allows the same voters to allows the same voters to

vote in all electionsvote in all elections states cannot deprive a states cannot deprive a

person suffrage based on person suffrage based on race, color, or previous race, color, or previous condition of servitudecondition of servitude

states cannot deprive a states cannot deprive a person suffrage based on person suffrage based on sexsex

states cannot require a states cannot require a payment of tax as condition payment of tax as condition of votingof voting

sstates cannot deprive a tates cannot deprive a person 18 years old suffrage person 18 years old suffrage because of agebecause of age

States may require prior States may require prior registration registration and gives and gives election officials a list of election officials a list of persons qualified to vote persons qualified to vote in an electionin an election

voter remains registered voter remains registered unless:unless:

moves or dies moves or dies is convicted of a serious is convicted of a serious

crimecrime is committed to a is committed to a

mental mental institutioninstitution fails to vote for a certain fails to vote for a certain

number of years or number of years or electionselections

Congress required Congress required states to ease the states to ease the

registration process by registration process by passing the passing the Motor Voter Motor Voter

LawLaw, which directs , which directs states to:states to:

allows citizens to allows citizens to register when renewing register when renewing driver's licensedriver's license

most states require most states require registration prior to registration prior to election, 20-30 dayselection, 20-30 days

SECTION 2SECTION 2VOTER VOTER

QUALIFICATIONS QUALIFICATIONS AMONG STATESAMONG STATES

CitizenshipCitizenship aliens are generally aliens are generally

denied right to vote, denied right to vote, but states could allow but states could allow them to votethem to vote

ResidenceResidence most states require a most states require a

person live within the person live within the state a certain period of state a certain period of time in order to qualify to time in order to qualify to votevote

to keep political to keep political organizations from organizations from importing votersimporting voters

accepted view that the accepted view that the voter should be familiar voter should be familiar with candidates and issueswith candidates and issues

originally as long as 60-90 originally as long as 60-90 days, today about 1/2 of days, today about 1/2 of the states have 30 day the states have 30 day requirementsrequirements

a growing number of states a growing number of states are now only requiring are now only requiring legal residencelegal residence

Congress has prohibited Congress has prohibited residency requirements residency requirements over 30 days in federal over 30 days in federal elections (1970)elections (1970)

nearly every state prohibits nearly every state prohibits transients from votingtransients from voting

AgeAge 26th Amendment 26th Amendment

sets 18 as cap for sets 18 as cap for minimum ageminimum age

some states allow some states allow 17 year olds to 17 year olds to vote in primary vote in primary electionselections

persons denied the right to persons denied the right to votevote

people found legally people found legally incompetentincompetent

convicted felonsconvicted felons dishonorably discharged dishonorably discharged

veteransveterans the homelessthe homeless

SECTION 3SECTION 3

SUFFRAGE AND SUFFRAGE AND CIVIL RIGHTSCIVIL RIGHTS

African American suffrageAfrican American suffrage in the 1960's civil rights in the 1960's civil rights

workers suffered workers suffered violence in order to violence in order to ensure others had the ensure others had the right to voteright to vote

15th Amendment15th Amendmentintended to ensure intended to ensure African-American men African-American men the right to votethe right to vote

for almost 90 years the for almost 90 years the federal govt. ignored the federal govt. ignored the voting rights of African-voting rights of African-Americans Americans

during that period, they during that period, they were kept away from the were kept away from the polls by use of violence, polls by use of violence, intimidation, and social intimidation, and social pressurepressure

literacy tests, poll taxes, and literacy tests, poll taxes, and gerrymanderinggerrymandering were used were used to keep them from votingto keep them from voting

Congress was forced to act Congress was forced to act in response to civil rights in response to civil rights movement led by Dr. Martin movement led by Dr. Martin Luther KingLuther King

What effect did Civil What effect did Civil Rights Acts in the Rights Acts in the

1950’s and 1960’s have 1950’s and 1960’s have on the right to vote?on the right to vote?

Civil Rights ActsCivil Rights Acts 1957- set up Civil Rights 1957- set up Civil Rights

Commission Commission –inquired into voter inquired into voter discrimination claimsdiscrimination claims

– gave the Attorney gave the Attorney General authority to seek General authority to seek injunctionsinjunctions to prevent to prevent voter interferencevoter interference

1960 - provided for 1960 - provided for appointment of voting appointment of voting refereesreferees– had the power to help qualified had the power to help qualified

persons to register and votepersons to register and vote 1964 - outlaws discrimination 1964 - outlaws discrimination

in several areas, especially in several areas, especially job-relatedjob-related– forbids the use of any forbids the use of any

registration requirement in an registration requirement in an unfair or discriminatory mannerunfair or discriminatory manner

Voting Rights Act of 1965Voting Rights Act of 1965 suspended the use of suspended the use of

literacy testsliteracy tests authorized the appointment authorized the appointment

of voting examinersof voting examiners gave federal authorities the gave federal authorities the

power to register voters and power to register voters and oversee electionsoversee elections

Section 4Section 4

NonvotingNonvoting

The Size of the ProblemThe Size of the Problem

Only about half of eligible Only about half of eligible voters turn out in voters turn out in presidential electionspresidential elections

Only about a third of Only about a third of eligible voters turn out in eligible voters turn out in off-year electionsoff-year elections

Little-Recognized Aspects of Little-Recognized Aspects of the Problemthe Problem

More people vote in federal More people vote in federal than in State and local than in State and local elections.elections.

Turnout is lower in off-year Turnout is lower in off-year elections, primaries, and elections, primaries, and special elections than it is special elections than it is in presidential-year in presidential-year elections.elections.

In general, the farther In general, the farther down the ballot an office down the ballot an office is, the fewer the number is, the fewer the number of votes that will be cast of votes that will be cast for it. This phenomenon is for it. This phenomenon is called "called "ballot fatigueballot fatigue."."

Why People Do Not VoteWhy People Do Not Vote

"Cannot-Voters""Cannot-Voters" Nearly 20 million Nearly 20 million

Americans do not vote Americans do not vote because they cannot.because they cannot.

Cannot-voters include Cannot-voters include aliens, the mentally or aliens, the mentally or physically handicapped, physically handicapped, and people in prison.and people in prison.

Some people cannot vote Some people cannot vote because their religious because their religious beliefs forbid them to beliefs forbid them to participate in government.participate in government.

Some are still prevented Some are still prevented from voting because of from voting because of discriminatory electoral discriminatory electoral practices.practices.

Actual Nonvoters (choose not Actual Nonvoters (choose not to or just do not vote)to or just do not vote)

Many people do not vote Many people do not vote because they are satisfied because they are satisfied with the political system with the political system as it is and believe that as it is and believe that the outcome of elections the outcome of elections will not affect them.will not affect them.

Many others do not vote Many others do not vote because they distrust the because they distrust the political process and do not political process and do not think that they have any think that they have any effective political power.effective political power.

Bad weather, "time-zone Bad weather, "time-zone fallout," and cumbersome fallout," and cumbersome election procedures keep election procedures keep some away from the polls.some away from the polls.

Factors Affecting TurnoutFactors Affecting Turnout Voters are most likely to Voters are most likely to

be people at the higher be people at the higher end of the social, end of the social, economic, and economic, and educational ladder, and educational ladder, and those active in their those active in their communitiescommunities

What are characteristics of What are characteristics of non-voters?non-voters?

Nonvoters are most likely Nonvoters are most likely to be under 35, unmarried to be under 35, unmarried and unskilled, and living in and unskilled, and living in the South or in a rural the South or in a rural area.area.

People with a high sense of People with a high sense of political efficacy vote no political efficacy vote no matter what their personal matter what their personal background.background.

The greater the degree of The greater the degree of candidate competition, candidate competition, the higher voter turnout the higher voter turnout is likely to be.is likely to be.

Section 5Section 5

The Study of Voting The Study of Voting BehaviorBehavior

How do observers learn How do observers learn about voter behavior?about voter behavior?

They carefully study the They carefully study the results of particular electionsresults of particular elections–Voter totalsVoter totals–Changes in voting Changes in voting patternspatterns

–Changes in voter Changes in voter demographicsdemographics

They conduct and study They conduct and study public opinion polls.public opinion polls. –They ask voters why They ask voters why they voted on they voted on particular candidates particular candidates and issuesand issues

They try to understand They try to understand political socializationpolitical socialization–all of the complex all of the complex influences that go into influences that go into how people see the how people see the political world and political world and their role within it.their role within it.

What sociological factors What sociological factors affect voting?affect voting?

Income and OccupationIncome and Occupation Business and professional Business and professional

people and those from people and those from higher income groups tend higher income groups tend to support the Republican to support the Republican party while manual workers party while manual workers and those from lower income and those from lower income groups tend to support the groups tend to support the Democratic party.Democratic party.

EducationEducation The more education a The more education a

voter has, the more voter has, the more likely he or she is to likely he or she is to vote Republican.vote Republican.

Sex and AgeSex and Age In recent In recent

years, men and years, men and younger voters younger voters have been have been more likely to more likely to vote vote Republican.Republican.

Religious & Ethnic BackgroundReligious & Ethnic Background

Jews, Catholics, and non-Jews, Catholics, and non-whites tend to support whites tend to support the Democratic party.the Democratic party.

GeographyGeography Traditionally, Traditionally,

Southerners and Southerners and residents of large residents of large northeastern cities northeastern cities have been strongly have been strongly Democratic.Democratic.

Family & Other Group Family & Other Group AffiliationsAffiliations People in the same People in the same

family or circle of friends family or circle of friends tend to vote alike.tend to vote alike.

What psychological factorsWhat psychological factors affect voting?affect voting?

Party IdentificationParty Identification

A voter's loyalty to one A voter's loyalty to one political party is the political party is the single most important single most important predictor of how that predictor of how that person will vote.person will vote.

Candidates and IssuesCandidates and Issues Although many voters Although many voters

usually vote for one usually vote for one party or the other, they party or the other, they may switch allegiances in may switch allegiances in a given election based on a given election based on the particular candidates the particular candidates or issues involved.or issues involved.