Chapter 6: Voters and Voter Behavior

Chapter 6: Voters and Voter Behavior

Voter Turnout in 2004 Voter Turnout in 2004 Whites - 67% Women- 65% Blacks - 60% Men - 62% Hispanics - 47% Asians - 44%

65 + - 79% 45 + - 70% 18-24 - 58%

Whites - 67% Women- 65% Blacks - 60% Men - 62% Hispanics - 47% Asians - 44%

65 + - 79% 45 + - 70% 18-24 - 58%

Voting Miscellanea Voting Miscellanea Write ins - Can win, but not likely - 20,767 for write-in POTUS candidates (0.02%) - 10 states don’t allow write-ins

Absentee Voting - 20% voted before election day - 21 staes require an excuse to vote absentee by mail

Ohio and early voting

Oregon and vote by mail

Write ins - Can win, but not likely - 20,767 for write-in POTUS candidates (0.02%) - 10 states don’t allow write-ins

Absentee Voting - 20% voted before election day - 21 staes require an excuse to vote absentee by mail

Ohio and early voting

Oregon and vote by mail

More MiscellaneaMore Miscellanea Party of the President loses seats in the Midterm Dow, not Paula Jones Who do undecided voters go to at the last minute? Time Zones Arizona Proposition 200 - $1 Million Voter Reward

Party of the President loses seats in the Midterm Dow, not Paula Jones Who do undecided voters go to at the last minute? Time Zones Arizona Proposition 200 - $1 Million Voter Reward

HAVAHAVA

Help America Vote Act 2002 - Required “provisional ballots” where

eligibility would be determined later - States determine how to verify

differently - Joe Wurzelbacher or Joe

Wurzlebacher

Help America Vote Act 2002 - Required “provisional ballots” where

eligibility would be determined later - States determine how to verify

differently - Joe Wurzelbacher or Joe

Wurzlebacher

Felonious Behavior Felonious Behavior Felony Disenfranchisement - 48 states bar felons (including

those on probation & parole) and 10 states bar ex-felons

- 4.7 million people barred from voting (2% of citizens)

- Disproportionate numbers of minorities and poor (1.8 million of 4.7 million are black)

- Could this turn an election? Florida has highest number of felons in nation and some of toughest laws.

Felony Disenfranchisement - 48 states bar felons (including

those on probation & parole) and 10 states bar ex-felons

- 4.7 million people barred from voting (2% of citizens)

- Disproportionate numbers of minorities and poor (1.8 million of 4.7 million are black)

- Could this turn an election? Florida has highest number of felons in nation and some of toughest laws.

31% of FLA’s blackMales are barredFrom voting

Sentencing Disparity?Sentencing Disparity? Since 1988, possession of five

grams of crack cocaine- an amount equal to five packets of sugar substitute- landed a person in jail for 5 years

But people caught with cocaine powder would have to possess 100 x that amount, or 500 grams, to get the same 5-year stint behind bars.

Since 1988, possession of five grams of crack cocaine- an amount equal to five packets of sugar substitute- landed a person in jail for 5 years

But people caught with cocaine powder would have to possess 100 x that amount, or 500 grams, to get the same 5-year stint behind bars.

More MiscellaneaMore Miscellanea

Rally around the flag Coat-tails Favorite Son Ebay the vote in 2000 - started @ $5 and pulled at

$10,000

Rally around the flag Coat-tails Favorite Son Ebay the vote in 2000 - started @ $5 and pulled at

$10,000

I. The Right to VoteI. The Right to Vote

A. History of Voting Rights 1. Suffrage/franchise- right to vote 2. Electorate- potential voting population 3. 2 trends: gradual elimination of voter

restrictions; Fed. Gov. assuming power 4. Five stages of the extension of voting

rights: a. 1789- b. 1870 c. 1920

A. History of Voting Rights 1. Suffrage/franchise- right to vote 2. Electorate- potential voting population 3. 2 trends: gradual elimination of voter

restrictions; Fed. Gov. assuming power 4. Five stages of the extension of voting

rights: a. 1789- b. 1870 c. 1920

Suffrage and Civil RightsSuffrage and Civil Rights

d. 1960s: 1. Voting Rights Act of 1965 2. 23rd Amendment: 3. 24th Amendment-

d. 1960s: 1. Voting Rights Act of 1965 2. 23rd Amendment: 3. 24th Amendment-

Civil Rights Act of 1964Civil Rights Act of 1964

`̀

e. 26th Amendment

Power to Set Voting Qualifications 1. Power is reserved to States with

exception of 4 restrictions:

e. 26th Amendment

Power to Set Voting Qualifications 1. Power is reserved to States with

exception of 4 restrictions:

II. Voter QualificationsII. Voter Qualifications

A. Universal Requirements 1. Citizenship 2. Residence

A. Universal Requirements 1. Citizenship 2. Residence

3. AgeB. Other qualifications 1. Registration a. Motor Voter Law, 1995:

3. AgeB. Other qualifications 1. Registration a. Motor Voter Law, 1995:

2. Persons denied the vote a. Mental institutions b. convicted of serious crimes c. dishonorable discharge

2. Persons denied the vote a. Mental institutions b. convicted of serious crimes c. dishonorable discharge

III. Voter BehaviorIII. Voter Behavior

A. Nonvoters (origin of the word “idiot”) 1. Millions who do not participateB. Size of the problem 1. Nonvoters more common in ????? 2. Millions of nonvoters among those

who vote- How is that possible? a. Ballot fatigue:

A. Nonvoters (origin of the word “idiot”) 1. Millions who do not participateB. Size of the problem 1. Nonvoters more common in ????? 2. Millions of nonvoters among those

who vote- How is that possible? a. Ballot fatigue:

C. Why People Do Not Vote 1. “Cannot Voters”- 2. Actual nonvoters: a. government taken over by

politicians b. lack political efficacy- what is

political efficacy?

C. Why People Do Not Vote 1. “Cannot Voters”- 2. Actual nonvoters: a. government taken over by

politicians b. lack political efficacy- what is

political efficacy?

3. Factors affecting turnout: a. b. c. biggest reason-

3. Factors affecting turnout: a. b. c. biggest reason-

4. Comparing Voters and Nonvoters a. voters- high income, education, occupation,

strong party ID, believe voting is important

b. nonvoters- under 35, single, unskilled, rural south

4. Comparing Voters and Nonvoters a. voters- high income, education, occupation,

strong party ID, believe voting is important

b. nonvoters- under 35, single, unskilled, rural south

c. women more likely than men

d. degree of party competition

e. high sense of political efficacy more likely to vote regardless of

other factors 1. Combination of factors; not one

single

c. women more likely than men

d. degree of party competition

e. high sense of political efficacy more likely to vote regardless of

other factors 1. Combination of factors; not one

single

D. Voters and Voting Behavior 1. Study voting behavior- political

socialization: 2. Factors that influence voters: a. personal characteristics: age, race,

income, occupation, education, religion

D. Voters and Voting Behavior 1. Study voting behavior- political

socialization: 2. Factors that influence voters: a. personal characteristics: age, race,

income, occupation, education, religion

b. voters group affiliations: family, co-workers, friends, etc.

E. Sociological Factors 1. We already discussed in

Chapter 5

b. voters group affiliations: family, co-workers, friends, etc.

E. Sociological Factors 1. We already discussed in

Chapter 5

F. Psychological Factors- voters perception of politics

1. Party ID- best predictor a. straight ticket voting b. has lost some significance: 1. Increase in split-ticket voting 2. Increase in # of independents

F. Psychological Factors- voters perception of politics

1. Party ID- best predictor a. straight ticket voting b. has lost some significance: 1. Increase in split-ticket voting 2. Increase in # of independents