voters and voter behavior

Voters and Voters and Voter BehaviorVoter Behavior

The Right to VoteThe Right to Vote

Are YOU Registered to Vote?Are YOU Registered to Vote?

All US citizens may register to All US citizens may register to vote at the age of 18vote at the age of 18

Until 1971, you had to be 21 but Until 1971, you had to be 21 but the 26 Amendment changed thatthe 26 Amendment changed that

Are YOU Registered to Vote?Are YOU Registered to Vote?

Most people approved the Most people approved the amendment because 18-20 year amendment because 18-20 year olds were drafted to fight in olds were drafted to fight in Vietnam and they should be Vietnam and they should be allowed to vote for the allowed to vote for the Commander in Chief/ the Commander in Chief/ the presidentpresident

History of Voting RightsHistory of Voting Rights

The Framers left voting The Framers left voting requirements up to the states.requirements up to the states.

Even today, the federal Even today, the federal requirements are only the requirements are only the minimumminimum

For example, Amendment 26 For example, Amendment 26 lowered the voting age to 18, but lowered the voting age to 18, but states could lower it further.states could lower it further.

Expansion of the ElectorateExpansion of the Electorate

When the Constitution was When the Constitution was written, only land-holding, white written, only land-holding, white men could vote.men could vote.

Some individual states allowed Some individual states allowed women to vote in local electionswomen to vote in local elections


Black men got the right to vote Black men got the right to vote with the passage of the 15with the passage of the 15thth Amendment.Amendment.

They still faced literacy tests and They still faced literacy tests and poll taxes in several states.poll taxes in several states.


In 1920, women received the right In 1920, women received the right to vote.to vote.

Today, about 210 million people Today, about 210 million people are eligible to voteare eligible to vote

Less than half do.Less than half do.


In Puritan New England, only In Puritan New England, only Church members were eligible to Church members were eligible to votevote

By 1810, there were no religious By 1810, there were no religious qualifications anywhere in qualifications anywhere in America.America.


After the Civil War, the 15After the Civil War, the 15thth Amendment was ratified in 1870 Amendment was ratified in 1870 which was suppose to allow Black which was suppose to allow Black males to vote, regardless of males to vote, regardless of previous condition of servitude.previous condition of servitude.

Literacy tests and poll taxes Literacy tests and poll taxes disenfranchised themdisenfranchised them


The 19The 19thth Amendment, passed in Amendment, passed in 1920, gave all adults, including 1920, gave all adults, including women, could vote.women, could vote.


The Civil Rights Act of 1965 The Civil Rights Act of 1965 prohibited poll taxes so that prohibited poll taxes so that Blacks could vote freely.Blacks could vote freely.


In 1961, the 23In 1961, the 23rdrd Amendment Amendment allowed residents of D.C. to vote allowed residents of D.C. to vote for presidentfor president

The 24The 24thth Amendment, ratified in Amendment, ratified in 1964, eliminated poll taxes1964, eliminated poll taxes


The 26The 26thth Amendment gave 18-20 Amendment gave 18-20 year olds the right to vote.year olds the right to vote.

Voting QualificationsVoting Qualifications

States must allow all people to States must allow all people to vote who meet the minimum vote who meet the minimum requirements set by the federal requirements set by the federal government.government.

Voters and Voters and Voter BehaviorVoter Behavior

Voter QualificationsVoter Qualifications


Citizenship – USCitizenship – US

Residence - of the state in Residence - of the state in state/local electionsstate/local elections

Age – 18 and olderAge – 18 and older


Every state except ND requires Every state except ND requires voters to register.voters to register.

Registration forms are on the Registration forms are on the internetinternet

In Florida, 17 year olds can In Florida, 17 year olds can register and vote after their 18register and vote after their 18thth birthdaybirthday


If a person does not vote for If a person does not vote for several elections, the rolls are several elections, the rolls are purged and the person’s name is purged and the person’s name is removed.removed.

Who Do You Vote For?Who Do You Vote For?

Once a person is registered they Once a person is registered they can vote in federal, state and can vote in federal, state and local electionslocal elections

There are many ways to get There are many ways to get information about the people information about the people running for office and new laws running for office and new laws being voted for.being voted for.

Who Do You Vote For?Who Do You Vote For?

Most people get their knowledge Most people get their knowledge from TVfrom TV

TV ads are bought by the TV ads are bought by the candidate or the group favoring candidate or the group favoring a particular person or cause.a particular person or cause.

They only tell the positive side They only tell the positive side of their side and the negative of their side and the negative side of the oppositionside of the opposition

Literacy TestsLiteracy Tests

Reading tests were given to Reading tests were given to people (Indians and Blacks) that people (Indians and Blacks) that the people in power did not want the people in power did not want to voteto vote

The tests were so difficult that The tests were so difficult that college professors could not college professors could not pass itpass it

Poll TaxPoll Tax

Another way people were Another way people were disenfranchised was to impose disenfranchised was to impose poll taxes.poll taxes.

If a voter could not afford the tax If a voter could not afford the tax they did not vote but the unpaid they did not vote but the unpaid tax would be added onto future tax would be added onto future poll taxes poll taxes

Disenfranchisement TodayDisenfranchisement Today

In the 2000 and 2004 presidential In the 2000 and 2004 presidential elections, voters complained elections, voters complained that they were turned awaythat they were turned away

Some in Florida had their names Some in Florida had their names incorrectly removed from the incorrectly removed from the poll books. They did not get to poll books. They did not get to vote. vote.

Voters and Voter Voters and Voter BehaviorBehavior

Chapter 6Chapter 6

Sections 3 and 4Sections 3 and 4

Increased SuffrageIncreased Suffrage

1515thth Amendment gives Amendment gives black males the right to black males the right to votevote

Many were kept away by Many were kept away by terror tactics, poll taxes, terror tactics, poll taxes, gerrymandering, and gerrymandering, and literacy tests literacy tests

GerrymanderingGerrymandering

Named after Named after Elbridge Gerry Elbridge Gerry after he drew a after he drew a district in MA to district in MA to ensure his ensure his associates would associates would win elections.win elections.


It is used today It is used today to ensure all people to ensure all people have representatives have representatives in government, in government, including minority including minority populationspopulations


Alcee Hastings, Alcee Hastings, D-FL, has D-FL, has benefited from benefited from gerrymandering gerrymandering by creating a by creating a district made up district made up of mostly African-of mostly African-AmericansAmericans

Civil Rights Act 1964Civil Rights Act 1964

Initiated by JFK and passed by Initiated by JFK and passed by LBJ, this act prevents LBJ, this act prevents discrimination not only with discrimination not only with voting, but with employment, voting, but with employment, housing, admissions, and other housing, admissions, and other areas with racial barriers.areas with racial barriers.

Voting Rights Act of 1965Voting Rights Act of 1965

Applied to all elections, local, state Applied to all elections, local, state and federaland federal

Outlawed poll taxes and literacy Outlawed poll taxes and literacy teststests

No new state election laws could No new state election laws could go into effect before preclearance go into effect before preclearance by the Dept. of Justiceby the Dept. of Justice

Voting Rights Act of 1965Voting Rights Act of 1965

Most of the laws that have gone Most of the laws that have gone through the preclearance process through the preclearance process have to do with moving polling have to do with moving polling places or with deadlines.places or with deadlines.

Voters and Voter Voters and Voter BehaviorBehavior

Chapter 6Chapter 6

Section 4Section 4

IdiotsIdiots

In ancient Greece, citizens who did In ancient Greece, citizens who did not vote were called not vote were called idiotesidiotes

In 2000, there were about 205.8 In 2000, there were about 205.8 million voters, but almost half million voters, but almost half were idiotes who did not votewere idiotes who did not vote

There are even more idiotes in off-There are even more idiotes in off-year electionsyear elections

Why Idiots Don’t VoteWhy Idiots Don’t Vote

Cannot vote – physically or Cannot vote – physically or mentally ill, religious beliefsmentally ill, religious beliefs

Don’t want to – for a lot of Don’t want to – for a lot of reasons, not believing their vote reasons, not believing their vote makes a differencemakes a difference

Poll closing times – 3-5 hrs earlier Poll closing times – 3-5 hrs earlier in east with results posted earlyin east with results posted early

VotersVoters

A typical voter:A typical voter: Higher incomeHigher income Higher educationHigher education Better occupational statusBetter occupational status Long time residentsLong time residents Party identificationParty identification femalefemale

Non-VotersNon-Voters

A typical non-voter:A typical non-voter: Younger than 35Younger than 35 UnmarriedUnmarried UnskilledUnskilled Lives in south/rural areaLives in south/rural area malemale

How People VoteHow People Vote

It is easier to determine how some It is easier to determine how some groups of people will votegroups of people will vote

Polls also use research to Polls also use research to determine election winnersdetermine election winners

All polls showed that the 2004 All polls showed that the 2004 election would be decided by less election would be decided by less than 2% of the vote. They were than 2% of the vote. They were right.right.


Psychological factors that can Psychological factors that can determine who a person votes for determine who a person votes for include:include: Voter’s characteristics – age, Voter’s characteristics – age,

sex, education, religion, incomesex, education, religion, income Voter’s affiliations – work, Voter’s affiliations – work,

friends, familiesfriends, families


Sociological factors that can Sociological factors that can determine who a person votes for determine who a person votes for include:include: Income – lower incomes tend to Income – lower incomes tend to

vote Dem; higher=Repvote Dem; higher=Rep Education – lower education Education – lower education

tend to vote Dem; higher=Reptend to vote Dem; higher=Rep


Sociological factors that can Sociological factors that can determine who a person votes for determine who a person votes for include:include: Age and gender – younger Age and gender – younger

women tend to vote Dem; older women tend to vote Dem; older males=Repmales=Rep

Religion – Catholics and Jews Religion – Catholics and Jews tend to vote Dem; Prot=Reptend to vote Dem; Prot=Rep


Sociological factors that can Sociological factors that can determine who a person votes for determine who a person votes for include:include: Race – Non-whites tend to vote Race – Non-whites tend to vote

Dem; white = RepDem; white = Rep Region – CA, NY, MA=Dem; TX, Region – CA, NY, MA=Dem; TX,

KS, ND and Bible Belt=Rep.KS, ND and Bible Belt=Rep.


These are generalizations only and These are generalizations only and different issues sway votersdifferent issues sway voters

How much a person feels loyalty How much a person feels loyalty to their party, party identification, to their party, party identification, is a good predictor of how a is a good predictor of how a person will vote.person will vote.


Some people vote for their party, Some people vote for their party, regardless of the person running regardless of the person running for office.for office.

Straight-ticket voting relates to Straight-ticket voting relates to party affiliation.party affiliation.


Some people, split-ticket voters, Some people, split-ticket voters, vote for candidates, regardless of vote for candidates, regardless of political partypolitical party

This practice has become more This practice has become more common since the 1960s.common since the 1960s.

Independent voters are likely to Independent voters are likely to do this since they do not belong to do this since they do not belong to a partya party


In the past, independent voters In the past, independent voters were generally less informed were generally less informed about the candidates or issues.about the candidates or issues.

This is not true with new This is not true with new independent voters who tend to be independent voters who tend to be better educated and have higher better educated and have higher incomesincomes

Party AffiliationsParty Affiliations

Party affiliation still bears Party affiliation still bears importance after elections when importance after elections when taking approval rating pollstaking approval rating polls

The most recent poll:The most recent poll:

Bush Approval Rating 9-15-05 Bush Approval Rating 9-15-05

41% Approve41% Approve

RepublicansRepublicans


51% Disapprove51% Disapprove

DemocratsDemocrats


Bush Approval Rating 10-18-06 Bush Approval Rating 10-18-06

55% Disapprove55% Disapprove43% Approve43% Approve

Bush Approval Rating Today Bush Approval Rating Today

voters and voter behavior

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