Chapter 6 – Chapter 6 – Political Political

ParticipationParticipation

A Closer Look at NonvotingA Closer Look at Nonvoting The Problem? – The Problem? – 50% of Americans vote in Presidential 50% of Americans vote in Presidential

Election, Election, 35%-40% in Congressional Elections35%-40% in Congressional Elections In Europe 80% vote in most electionsIn Europe 80% vote in most elections

Apathy the cause or are we just plain Apathy the cause or are we just plain lazy?lazy? This info is slightly exaggerated - This info is slightly exaggerated - 1984 Survey Says - voting age population 1984 Survey Says - voting age population

turnout turnout 52.6% Registered voters 86.8%52.6% Registered voters 86.8% 86.8% clearly rules out apathy as a cause 86.8% clearly rules out apathy as a cause The real problem low percentage of adults The real problem low percentage of adults

are registered to voteare registered to vote

A Closer Look at NonvotingA Closer Look at Nonvoting The book says a cause is The book says a cause is

the high cost to register the high cost to register to vote. to vote.

Congressional solution Congressional solution Motor Voter (Mixed Motor Voter (Mixed results in states)results in states)Republicans 95% oppose Republicans 95% oppose Motor VoterMotor VoterDemocrats 95% approveDemocrats 95% approve

Help America Vote Act - Help America Vote Act - Republican “scheme”Republican “scheme”

Apathy?

I don’t care about

apathy.

In this painting, we see the judge (top center) administering an oath to a voter. The voter (in red) is swearing, with his hand on the bible, that he is entitled to vote and has not already done so. There was no system of voter registration, so this oath and the possibility that the judge or someone else in the vicinity of the polls might recognize him if he came back was all that prevented a voter from voting again and again.

The first official use of a lever type voting machine, known then as the "Myers Automatic Booth," occurred in Lockport, New York in 1892. Four years later, they were employed on a large scale in the city of Rochester, New York, and soon were adopted statewide. By 1930, lever machines had been installed in virtually every major city in the United States, and by the 1960’s well over half of the Nation’s votes were being cast on these machines.

The Rise of the American The Rise of the American ElectorateElectorate

1790-1829 white male 1790-1829 white male landownerslandowners

1829 Andrew Jackson 1829 Andrew Jackson expanded the electorate to expanded the electorate to include all adult males 21+include all adult males 21+

Most other minorities and Most other minorities and women in most states women in most states continued to not have suffragecontinued to not have suffrage

You cannot vote if convicted of You cannot vote if convicted of a felony or if former occupation a felony or if former occupation is a Confederate Generalis a Confederate General

From State to Federal From State to Federal ControlControl

Elections were a mess at first – Elections were a mess at first – Congressional candidates were picked by Congressional candidates were picked by

district, at large, plurality, majority, district, at large, plurality, majority, even/odd yearseven/odd years

Federal government steps in to create Federal government steps in to create control – Districts only, even years, control – Districts only, even years, majority vote, first Tuesday in November.majority vote, first Tuesday in November.

From State to Federal From State to Federal ControlControl

1515thth Amendment – States cannot deny Amendment – States cannot deny the right to votethe right to vote

1919thth Amendment – Women gain Amendment – Women gain suffragesuffrage

17th Amendment - direct election of 17th Amendment - direct election of Senators by the electorateSenators by the electorate

23rd Amendment - District of Columbia 23rd Amendment - District of Columbia gets to vote for the Presidentgets to vote for the President

24th Amendment - no poll taxes in 24th Amendment - no poll taxes in federal electionsfederal elections

26th Amendment - 18 year-olds get the 26th Amendment - 18 year-olds get the right to vote (Vietnam War is the key right to vote (Vietnam War is the key issue)issue)

Literacy tests, Poll Tax, Grandfather Literacy tests, Poll Tax, Grandfather Clause, White PrimariesClause, White Primaries

Voter Turn OutVoter Turn Out Between 50%-60% turn out Between 50%-60% turn out

still very lowstill very lowTheory 1 – Really… no one Theory 1 – Really… no one cares, political parties are cares, political parties are to similarto similar

In the late 1800’s In the late 1800’s Republican domination of Republican domination of national politics made races national politics made races boringboringStatistics are very skewed Statistics are very skewed because “vote early vote because “vote early vote often” applied (Boss Tweed)often” applied (Boss Tweed)

Australian Ballot – Australian Ballot – Government Printed Government Printed Standardized ballot more Standardized ballot more and more regulations made and more regulations made voting more burdensomevoting more burdensome

Who Participates in Who Participates in Politics?Politics?

Forms of ParticipationForms of Participation22% - Completely inactive - Do nothing (poor, uneducated, 22% - Completely inactive - Do nothing (poor, uneducated, young, usually A.A.)young, usually A.A.)

Voting Specialists – Vote but do little else (older, less Voting Specialists – Vote but do little else (older, less schooling, poorer)schooling, poorer)

Campaigners – get involved in campaigns, know what Campaigners – get involved in campaigns, know what they want and how the sidethey want and how the side

Communalists – very involved in community but not Communalists – very involved in community but not politics (to much conflict)politics (to much conflict)Parochial Participants – don’t vote but feel the need Parochial Participants – don’t vote but feel the need

to to contact elected officialscontact elected officials11% - Activists - Do everything (well educated, high 11% - Activists - Do everything (well educated, high incomes, middle agedincomes, middle aged

The Causes of ParticipationThe Causes of Participation People with more schooling more likely to People with more schooling more likely to

votevoteChurchgoers vote moreChurchgoers vote more

Men and women vote the sameMen and women vote the sameWhites vote more than AAWhites vote more than AA

In equal socio-economic backgrounds, In equal socio-economic backgrounds, blacks vote more blacks vote more (A.A have less faith in the system)(A.A have less faith in the system)

If AA all came out and voted, the power If AA all came out and voted, the power structure in America would shiftstructure in America would shift

1960 109,159,000 68,838,204 63.06%

1964 114,090,000 70,644,592 60.92%

1968 120,328,186 73,199,998 60.83%

1972 140,776,000 77,718,554 55.21%

1976 152,309,190 81,555,789 53.55%

1980 164,597,000 86,515,221 52.56%

1984 174,466,000 92,652,680 53.11%

1988 182,778,000 91,594,693 50.11%

1992 189,529,000 104,405,155 55.09%

1996 196,511,000 96,456,345 49.08%

2000 205,815,000 105,586,274 51.31%

2004 215,694,000 122,295,345 56.70%

2008 126,500,000-128,500,000 (estimate[1]) 64.10%

The Meaning of The Meaning of Participation RatesParticipation Rates

Percentages are lower here than other Percentages are lower here than other countries however we hold more countries however we hold more elections and elect more elections and elect more representatives than any other countryrepresentatives than any other country

Americans also participate more in the Americans also participate more in the political process here than abroadpolitical process here than abroad

SummarySummary Americans do not vote – Americans do not vote –

falsefalse

Americans do not register Americans do not register to vote – trueto vote – true

Once registered age, race Once registered age, race and party organization and party organization determine ratesdetermine rates

Schooling and information Schooling and information are most powerful are most powerful determinations determinations

If you depend on the youth If you depend on the youth of this nation to vote you of this nation to vote you will losewill lose