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.