OVERVIEW – CHAPTER 6Voters & Voter Behavior

SUFFRAGE - AKA FRANCHISE

The right to vote – always know this definition!!! 15th Amendment, 1870 – African American men

suffrage Smith v. Allwright, 1944 – outlawed white primaries

(TX) 19th Amendment, 1920 – women’s suffrage Civil Rights Acts helped enforce voting rights

1957, 1960, 1964 Voting Rights Act of 1965 – applied 15th Amend to

ALL elections not just federal ones Preclearance – states that had NOT allowed majority

of voters suffrage, had to submit any election rules to DoJ 1st

Upheld in 1966, parts overturned in 2012 (impacted 16 states) New laws now being challenged including PA’s

TO VOTE…

Citizen of the US No religious qualifications – final elimination by

1810 23rd Amendment, 1961 – gave Washington DC

right to vote in Presidential elections = 3 electoral votes

24th Amendment, 1964 – eliminated poll taxes 26th Amendment, 1971 – voting age set at 18 Otherwise, each state controls rules for

registering to vote – PA = 30 days prior to election Residency rules – military & sales people at home

state Some states allow college students to vote in locale of

college

VOTER BEHAVIOR…

Vote FOR Candidate A or Vote FOR Candidate B Vote AGAINST Candidate A Vote AGAINST Candidate B Decide to NOT Vote period

2012 Election – voter turnout rate = 58.2% Of the almost 222 million ELIGIBLE voters, only just over 130

million voted – Minnesota – 75.7% best rate; Hawaii – 44.2% worst

Rates are worse in off – year elections Ballot fatigue a factor – voters exhaust patience &/or

knowledge as they work their way down a ballot Cannot-voters – resident aliens, ill or physically

disabled, mental health care facilities, prisons, religious issues

Lacking Political efficacy – the sense of influence

FACTORS THAT INFLUENCE VOTERS…

From results of particular elections; survey research; studies of political socialization process how people gain political attitudes &

opinions Sociological factors:

Income, occupation, education, gender, age, religion, ethnic background, geography, family, “other” groups

Psychological factors: Party identification

Straight-ticket voting; split-ticket voting; independents Candidates & issues