Post on 15-Jan-2016
Topic 2: Voting & Elections (Part 1)
Part 1: The Right to Vote & Qualifications
How have voting rights changed over time?What restrictions exist on the States’ power
to set qualifications?What are the universal requirements for
voting in the US?
What other requirements have States
used or still use as qualifications?
Voting Rights History
The Constitution purposely left the power to set suffrage qualifications to each State.
Suffrage & Franchise means the right to vote. The electorate is all of the people entitled to vote. Initially, suffrage was limited to white male
property owners.
Today, the American electorate is over 200 million.
Nearly all citizens at least 18 years old can qualify to vote.
Extending Suffrage
5. 1971: 26th Amendment lowered the voting age to 18.
1. Early 1800s: religious, property, and tax payment qualifications gradually eliminated.
2. 1870: 15th Amendment intended to end race-based voting requirements.
3. 1920: 19th Amendment extends suffrage to women.
4. 1960s: ‘65: Voting Rights Act guaranteed minorities’ right to vote.
’64: 24th Amendment eliminated the poll tax.
The 5 Stages of Suffrage Expansion:
Voter Qualifications
Constitution sets limits on States’ voter qualifications:
restrict voting based on race
require payment
deprive women of right to vote
deprive those at least 18 years old of right to vote
The States Cannot…
Universal Requirements
3 Voter Eligibility Requirements
CitizenshipMost States require US
citizenship ResidenceMost States require
residency for minimum amounts of time
Age26th Amendment
requires that no State set a minimum voting age above 18.
Other Qualifications
All states except North Dakota require citizens to register to vote. Registration is a procedure of
voter ID intended to prevent fraud.
States also restrict certain members of the population, such as those mentally incompetent or convicted of serious crimes.
Political Participation and Awareness in America
Nonvoters
Only 64 %of eligible voters cast ballots in the 2004 presidential election.
Voter turnout significantly decreases in off-year elections, congressional elections held in years without a presidential election. 46% in 2006
Part 2: Voter Behavior
What is the nonvoting problem and what is its scope?
Why do people not vote?How can we compare the voting behavior
of voters and nonvoters?What are the sociological and
psychological factors that affect voting?
Why People Do Not Vote
“Cannot” nonvoters: physical or mental illness unexpected travel resident alien citizenship status
“Will not” nonvoters voting is inconvenient, “vote doesn’t count” distrust politics and political
candidates
Voters and Voting Behavior
We learn about voting behavior from:
The results of elections—studying the results of voting compared to the population make-up of a particular sector
The field of survey research— conducting polls across specific cross sections of the population
Studies of political socialization—studying political socialization, the process by which people gain their political attitudes and opinions
Sociological Factors“Society’s Influence”
Income andOccupation
Education Gender and Age
Religious andEthnic Background
Geography Family and OtherGroups
Voter opinion is a combination of all of these factors and more.
Psychological Factors
Party IdentificationThe loyalty of people to a
party is the most significant and lasting predictor of how they vote.
Candidates and IssuesCandidates and issues are
two short-term factors that can influence even the most loyal Democrat or Republican.