Political Participation and Voter Behavior. Political Participation Voting Voting Activism...
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Transcript of Political Participation and Voter Behavior. Political Participation Voting Voting Activism...
Political ParticipationPolitical Participation
VotingVoting Activism (Activists) – people who regularly Activism (Activists) – people who regularly
participate in the political processparticipate in the political process Helping with a campaignHelping with a campaign Attend meeting/rallyAttend meeting/rally Delegates to national conventionsDelegates to national conventions
Political Socialization – The process of developing Political Socialization – The process of developing your own personal political identity and attitudes your own personal political identity and attitudes towards government, leaders, issues, ecttowards government, leaders, issues, ect
Voting Rights History Voting Rights History
The Constitution purposely left the power to set suffrage The Constitution purposely left the power to set suffrage qualifications to each State.qualifications to each State.
Suffrage & Franchise Suffrage & Franchise means the right to vote.means the right to vote. The The electorateelectorate is all of the people entitled to vote. is all of the people entitled to vote. Initially, suffrage was limited to white male property owners.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 SuffrageExtending Suffrage
5.5. 1971: 26th Amendment lowered the voting age to 18. 1971: 26th Amendment lowered the voting age to 18.
1.1. Early 1800s: religious, property, and Early 1800s: religious, property, and tax payment qualifications gradually tax payment qualifications gradually eliminated. eliminated.
2.2. 1870: 15th Amendment intended to end 1870: 15th Amendment intended to end race-based voting requirements.race-based voting requirements.
3.3. 1920: 19th Amendment extends 1920: 19th Amendment extends suffrage to women.suffrage to women.
4.4. 1960s: 1960s:
‘65: Voting Rights Act guaranteed minorities’ right to vote.
’64: 24th Amendment eliminated the poll tax.
The 5 Stages of Suffrage Expansion:
Voter QualificationsVoter Qualifications
Constitution sets limits on States’ voter qualifications:
The States Cannot…
Universal RequirementsUniversal Requirements 3 Voter Eligibility 3 Voter Eligibility
Requirements Requirements
CitizenshipCitizenship Most States require US Most States require US
citizenship citizenship ResidenceResidence Most States require residency Most States require residency
for minimum amounts of timefor minimum amounts of timeAgeAge 26th Amendment requires that 26th Amendment requires that
no State set a minimum voting no State set a minimum voting age above 18. age above 18.
Who may NOT vote?Who may NOT vote? Non-citizensNon-citizens Non-residents of a stateNon-residents of a state
10 – 30 days10 – 30 days
Un-registered votersUn-registered voters To prevent fraudTo prevent fraud
In some states… In some states… Mentally incompetentMentally incompetent Convicted FelonsConvicted Felons Dishonorably discharged from Dishonorably discharged from
the armed forcesthe armed forces HomelessHomeless PolygamistsPolygamists
Very Low # Very Low #
Who DOES vote?Who DOES vote?
Half of eligible voters in a Half of eligible voters in a typical presidential yeartypical presidential year 63% in 2010! 63% in 2010!
1/3 of eligible voters in a 1/3 of eligible voters in a non-presidential electionnon-presidential election
In 2008…In 2008…
TotalsTotals MM FF******************************************************************************18-2418-24 48%48% 45%45% 52%52%25-3425-34 57%57% 52%52% 61%61%35-4435-44 62%62% 60%60% 65%65%45-5445-54 67%67% 65%65% 69%69%55-6455-64 71%71% 69%69% 73%73%65-7465-74 72%72% 72%72% 72%72%75 & up75 & up 67%67% 72%72% 64%64%
Likelihood of Voting by EducationLikelihood of Voting by Education
<9<9thth Grade Grade 38%38%
9-129-12thth Grade Grade 39%39%
High School DiplomaHigh School Diploma 54%54%
Some BachelorsSome Bachelors 68%68%
Bachelor’s DegreeBachelor’s Degree 77%77%
Advanced DegreesAdvanced Degrees 82%82%
Why NOT Vote?Why NOT Vote?Excluded from voting legallyExcluded from voting legally
Homeless, polygamist, Homeless, polygamist, convicted felons, ect convicted felons, ect
Illness, Out of town, forgot, Illness, Out of town, forgot, Too busy, transportation, Too busy, transportation, Didn’t like the campaigns…Didn’t like the campaigns…
Apathy! (Laziness)Apathy! (Laziness) Bad Weather!Bad Weather!
Why do people NOT vote?Why do people NOT vote?
Weekday VotingWeekday Voting
Weak Party EffortsWeak Party Efforts
Voter SatisfactionVoter Satisfaction
Why do people NOT vote?Why do people NOT vote? Political EfficacyPolitical Efficacy – Can I – Can I
make a difference? Does make a difference? Does my vote matter? Distrustmy vote matter? Distrust
Absentee BallotsAbsentee Ballots – if you – if you will be out of town for an will be out of town for an electionelection
Who does NOT voteWho does NOT vote Less Likely…Less Likely…
Under 35Under 35 Unmarried and UnskilledUnmarried and Unskilled South or rural areasSouth or rural areas Poorer/less educatedPoorer/less educated
Who DOES vote?Who DOES vote? Higher end of social, Higher end of social,
economic, and economic, and educational laddereducational ladder
ActivismActivism
Closer elections Closer elections encourage higher voter encourage higher voter turnoutturnout
People Vote Based on…People Vote Based on…1.1. Political PartyPolitical Party
2.2. IssuesIssues1.1. Individual PreferencesIndividual Preferences
2.2. The state of the economyThe state of the economy
3.3. Candidate AppealCandidate Appeal1.1. PersonalPersonal
2.2. Media – “Close-ups”Media – “Close-ups”
3.3. Looks and PersonalityLooks and Personality
4.4. Experience, Leadership, Experience, Leadership, Good Judgment, Strength, Good Judgment, Strength, Energy, and CharismaEnergy, and Charisma
Study of Voting BehaviorStudy of Voting BehaviorSociological FactorsSociological Factors Income, Occupation – high income RepublicanIncome, Occupation – high income Republican Education – more education RepublicanEducation – more education Republican Sex, Age – Women vote Democrat; older vote Sex, Age – Women vote Democrat; older vote
RepublicanRepublican Religion/ethnicity – Jews, Catholics, and non-Religion/ethnicity – Jews, Catholics, and non-
whites support Democratswhites support Democrats Geography – large cities vote DemocratGeography – large cities vote Democrat Family – People vote like familyFamily – People vote like family
Political PartiesPolitical Parties
Key connection between people and their governmentKey connection between people and their government Competing to influence the governmentCompeting to influence the government
4 Roles of Political Parties4 Roles of Political Parties
Recruiting and LabelingRecruiting and Labeling Can help people chose a candidateCan help people chose a candidate Seal of ApprovalSeal of Approval
Acting as WatchdogsActing as Watchdogs Watch and criticize other partiesWatch and criticize other parties
Getting Out InformationGetting Out Information Make point-of-view publicMake point-of-view public
Running the GovernmentRunning the Government Make decisions based on ideologyMake decisions based on ideology
LawsLaws AppointmentsAppointments
Two-Party SystemTwo-Party System 2 main parties2 main parties Other parties exist – difficult to Other parties exist – difficult to
win national electionswin national elections Green PartyGreen Party Tea PartyTea Party
Other systemsOther systems One Party SystemOne Party System
Soviet Union, China, N. Korea, Soviet Union, China, N. Korea, Cuba, Vietnam, IranCuba, Vietnam, Iran
Multiple Party SystemMultiple Party System Germany, ItalyGermany, Italy
Christian Democratic Union (CDU) - christian democrat, Christian Democratic Union (CDU) - christian democrat, centre-right: 27.8%, 180 seats and 7.4%, 46 seats centre-right: 27.8%, 180 seats and 7.4%, 46 seats
Social Democratic Party of Germany (SPD)– social democrat, Social Democratic Party of Germany (SPD)– social democrat, centre-left: 34.2%, 222 seats centre-left: 34.2%, 222 seats
Free Democratic Party (FDP) – liberal, centre-right: 9.8%, 69 Free Democratic Party (FDP) – liberal, centre-right: 9.8%, 69 seats seats
The Left – socialist, communist, left: 8.7%, 54 seats The Left – socialist, communist, left: 8.7%, 54 seats Alliance '90/The Greens – green, centre-left: 8.1%, 51 seatsAlliance '90/The Greens – green, centre-left: 8.1%, 51 seats______________________________________________________________________________________________________________
National Democratic Party of Germany - NPD): 1.6% National Democratic Party of Germany - NPD): 1.6% The Republicans: 0.6% The Republicans: 0.6% The Grays – Gray Panther: 0.4% The Grays – Gray Panther: 0.4% Family Party of Germany: 0.4% Family Party of Germany: 0.4% Human Environment Animal Welfare : 0.2% Human Environment Animal Welfare : 0.2% Party of Bible-abiding Christians: 0.2% Party of Bible-abiding Christians: 0.2%
MULTIPARTY SYSTEMSMULTIPARTY SYSTEMS
Germany’s minor partiesGermany’s minor parties
Anarchist Pogo Party of Anarchist Pogo Party of GermanyGermany
Bavaria Party Bavaria Party Communist Party of GermanyCommunist Party of Germany German Centre Party German Centre Party German Communist PartyGerman Communist Party Christian Centre PartyChristian Centre Party Citizens Make Politics Citizens Make Politics Civil Rights Movement Civil Rights Movement
SolidaritySolidarity Die ViolettenDie Violetten Ecological Democratic PartyEcological Democratic Party Feminist Party of GermanyFeminist Party of Germany
Free VotersFree Voters Law and Order Offensive Law and Order Offensive
PartyParty Marxist Leninist Party of Marxist Leninist Party of
GermanyGermany Die PARTEI -- party created Die PARTEI -- party created
by editors of the satirical by editors of the satirical magazine titanicmagazine titanic
Projekt ParteiProjekt Partei Social Equality PartySocial Equality Party South Schleswig Voter South Schleswig Voter
Federation Danish and Federation Danish and frisian minorities in frisian minorities in Germany Germany
** COALITIONS**** COALITIONS**
Political Parties in the U.S.Political Parties in the U.S.
Individuals… Individuals… Can be in a partyCan be in a party Can keep it a secretCan keep it a secret
Many are independentMany are independent Voter who doesn’t belong to or support a specific Voter who doesn’t belong to or support a specific
partyparty
US and 2 party systemUS and 2 party system
Historical InfluenceHistorical Influence American Political Beliefs and American Political Beliefs and
ValuesValues Values the systemValues the system Likes Overlapping views – win Likes Overlapping views – win
electionselections Winner Takes All SystemWinner Takes All System
Who gets the most votes winsWho gets the most votes wins Hard for minor partiesHard for minor parties Encourages politicians to include Encourages politicians to include
more peoplemore people
The Role of Minor PartiesThe Role of Minor Parties
Influence outcome of electionsInfluence outcome of elections Encourages Major parties to face important issuesEncourages Major parties to face important issues
Get voters back from single-issue partiesGet voters back from single-issue parties
GrassrootsGrassroots – People at the local level; average voters – People at the local level; average voters