Voting in Recent Electionshttp://www.census.gov/Press-Release/www/releases/archives/voting/013995.html

http://www.census.gov/prod/2008pubs/p20-557.pdf

Where and how do you vote?

Where Precincts Polling Places

When Election Day

November, every even numbered year, Tuesday after the first Monday

Who (common state laws) Age, Residency, Citizenship IL must register 30 days before

How Absentee Voting

Vote without going to the poll 20 million people in 2004 Apply for absentee ballot

Straight-ticket voting Vote for all or most candidates associated with your

party

Split-ticket voting Vote for candidates of different parties

Coattail Effect Strong candidate can attract voters to their party

http://www.elections.il.gov/VotingInformation/welcome.aspx

Non-Voting

Why don’t people vote?

Why is voter turnout so low in the U.S.? “I don’t care”

“My vote doesn’t count…I’m only one person!”

“It takes too much time”

“Even if I vote, the representatives won’t respond.”

“Both of the candidates are idiots!”

“I don’t know anything about politics, the candidates, or the issues.”

“Registration is tough to do” (Only 2/3 of the voting age is registered)

Why people do not vote

“Cannot-Voters”: Those unable to vote

Actual non-voters: Those who…Believe it doesn’t make a differenceDistrust politicsHave no sense of political efficacy (own

influence or effectiveness in politics)

Voters vs. Non-Voters

Voters Higher income, education, & status Long-time residents Strong party affiliation

Non-Voters Younger than 35 Unmarried or unskilled Rural/low socio-economic status

Nominating Process and Candidates

Nomination- candidate selection

1. Self-Announcement2. The Caucus3. Convention4. Direct Primary

http://www.fairvote.org/?page=1801

Closed- only declared party members can vote, primary is closed to anyone else

Open- any qualified voter can cast a ballotIL- Must vote in primary of same party as last primary the voter participated

in. Loosely enforced.  Voters may change party affiliation at polls or caucus.

5. Petition (local levels)

Electoral College

Need 270 to win election! Senators + Representatives= # of electoral votes

http://www.270towin.com/

Are you an “Idiot”?“Idiot” in Greek means those who didn’t vote

or take part in public lifehttp://www.rockthevote.com/home.php

Is voting equal opportunity?

Voting Article

Money and Campaigns

http://www.fec.gov/ http://www.fec.gov/DisclosureSearch/

mapApp.do http://www.fec.gov/ans/answers.shtml

Money $$$$

Soft v Hard MoneyBipartisan Campaign Reform Act (BCRA)

PACs Private v. Public Contributions

http://www.opensecrets.org/states/election.asp?State=IL&Year=2006