…or lack thereof

Voter Turnout

“The right of citizens of the United States to vote shall not be denied or abridged by the United States or by any state on account of race, color, or previous condition or servitude”

15th Amendment

A Close Look at Nonvoting Alleged problem: low turnout of voters in the

U.S. compared to Europe 1. Data are misleading: tend to compare turnout of voting-

age population; turnout of registered voters reveals problem is not so severe

2. Real problem is low voter registration rates a. Proposed solution: get-out-the-voter drives b. But this will not help those who are not registered

3. Apathy is not the only cause of nonregistrationa. Registration has costs in U.S.: there are no costs in

European countries where registration is automatic b. Motor-voter law of 1993 took effect in 1995, lowered

costs and increased registration throughout the country. However, many still did not vote! “…those who register when the process is costless are less likely to vote”

A Close Look at Nonvoting Continued…

Voting is not the only way of participating – by other measures, Americans may participate more in politics than Europeans. Examples include:

Joining Civic AssociationsSupporting Social MovementsWriting to legislaturesFighting City Hall

Important question: how do different kinds of participation affect the government?

The Rise of the American Electorate

From State to Federal Control 1. Initially, states decided who could vote and for which

offices 2. This led to wide variation in federal elections 3. Congress has since reduced state prerogatives through

law and constitutional amendment 1842 law: House members elected by district 15th Amendment (1870): seemed to give suffrage to

African-Americans but really1) Opened the door to literacy tests, poll taxes, and grandfather clauses 2) Voting Rights Act of 1965 finally guaranteed right

to vote to blacks –ended above controversial practices.

The Rise of the American Electorate

Women given right to vote by 19th Amendment (1920); participation rose immediately, but no major impact on electoral outcomes

18-year-olds given suffrage by 26th Amendment (1971); voter turnout among the newly eligible (18 to 24 year olds) was low, and has continued to fall

BUT, this group participates more in other non-voting ways!

National standards now govern most aspects of voter eligibility

Twenty-third Amendment was ratified in 1961, giving District of Columbia residents the right to vote in presidential elections

Voter TurnoutTwo theories regarding declining percentages

of eligible adults who vote1. Real decline caused by lessening popular interest and decreasing party mobilization

2. Apparent decline caused by more honest ballot countsoParties once printed ballots and controlled countingoBallots were cast in publicoVoter eligibility rules were easily circumventedoAustralian Ballot was adopted in 1910 (standard,

govt printed, secret)

“Vote early and often”

Voter Turnout

Several causes probably contribute to a real declineMore difficult registrationNo uniform national voting system

(yeah, we’re looking at you, Florida)

Calculation of turnout- is there really a drop?

Some scholars believe that non-voters mirror voters so their absence has little effect on election outcomes.