Political Participation Nonvoting Rise of the American Electorate

Political Political ParticipationParticipation

NonvotingNonvoting

Rise of the American Rise of the American ElectorateElectorate

Voter TurnoutVoter TurnoutVoter turnout can be measured in two Voter turnout can be measured in two different ways:different ways:

(1) Proportion of the (1) Proportion of the registered registered votersvoters that actually voted in a given that actually voted in a given electionelection

(2) Percentage of the (2) Percentage of the eligible voterseligible voters (voting age population) that vote(voting age population) that vote

Voter TurnoutVoter TurnoutAccording to recent figures, According to recent figures, American statistics look much American statistics look much better if the first method is better if the first method is employed (percentage of employed (percentage of registered voters who participate registered voters who participate in elections)in elections)

Voter TurnoutVoter Turnout

If we take the If we take the proportion/percentage of the proportion/percentage of the registered voters, between registered voters, between 75-75-80%80% voted in recent voted in recent presidential electionspresidential elections


If we take the percentage of If we take the percentage of the voting-age population, only the voting-age population, only about about 50%50% actually voted actually voted

Figure is much lower than Figure is much lower than most other democraciesmost other democracies


Great Britain, Canada—about ¾ Great Britain, Canada—about ¾ of all eligible voters vote in major of all eligible voters vote in major electionselections

Italy, Australia—90% of eligible Italy, Australia—90% of eligible voters votevoters vote

Voter Turnout: U.S.Voter Turnout: U.S.Main problem is voter registrationMain problem is voter registration

Challenge: Increasing the number Challenge: Increasing the number of eligible/voting age population of eligible/voting age population registered to voteregistered to vote

Rise of the American ElectorateRise of the American Electorate

Originally the Constitution let Originally the Constitution let individual states determine the individual states determine the qualifications for votingqualifications for voting

States varied widely in their lawsStates varied widely in their laws

Rise of the American ElectorateRise of the American Electorate

All states:All states:

Excluded womenExcluded women

Most denied blacks voting rightsMost denied blacks voting rights

Property ownership was usually Property ownership was usually requiredrequired

Expanding SuffrageExpanding Suffrage

Expansion of the right to vote Expansion of the right to vote resulted from:resulted from:

(1) Constitutional amendment(1) Constitutional amendment

(2) Changing federal statutes(2) Changing federal statutes

(3) Supreme Court decisions(3) Supreme Court decisions

Lifting of Property RestrictionsLifting of Property Restrictions

At first, all states required voters At first, all states required voters to be property ownersto be property owners

Varying standards for how much Varying standards for how much property a man had to own to property a man had to own to merit the right to votemerit the right to vote


During the 1830s when Andrew During the 1830s when Andrew Jackson was president, most Jackson was president, most states loosened their property states loosened their property requirements to embrace requirements to embrace universal manhood suffrageuniversal manhood suffrage


By the end of Jackson’s By the end of Jackson’s presidency (1829-1837), most presidency (1829-1837), most states had lifted property states had lifted property restrictions from their voting rightsrestrictions from their voting rights

NJ—property restrictions were not NJ—property restrictions were not abolished until 1844abolished until 1844

Suffrage for Black Americans & Suffrage for Black Americans & Former SlavesFormer Slaves

After the Civil War three (3) After the Civil War three (3) important amendments intended important amendments intended to protect civil rights for newly to protect civil rights for newly freed former slaves were added freed former slaves were added to the Constitutionto the Constitution


Last of the three was added in Last of the three was added in 1870—151870—15thth Amendment Amendment

““Right of citizens of the U.S. to Right of citizens of the U.S. to vote shall not be denied or vote shall not be denied or abridged by the U.S. or by any abridged by the U.S. or by any state on account of race, color, or state on account of race, color, or previous condition of servitude.”previous condition of servitude.”


Reading those words today, one Reading those words today, one would assume that they gave would assume that they gave African Americans the right to African Americans the right to votevote


That is not what the Supreme That is not what the Supreme Court during the 1870s thought Court during the 1870s thought they meantthey meant

By a series of decisions, it held By a series of decisions, it held that the 15that the 15thth Amendment did not Amendment did not necessarily confer the right to necessarily confer the right to vote on anybodyvote on anybody


It merely asserted that if someone It merely asserted that if someone was denied that right, the denial was denied that right, the denial could not be explicitly on the could not be explicitly on the grounds of racegrounds of race

And the burden of proving that it And the burden of proving that it was race fell on the black who was race fell on the black who was turned away at the pollswas turned away at the polls


This interpretation opened the This interpretation opened the door to several state strategies to door to several state strategies to keep blacks from voting keep blacks from voting


Despite the amendment, many Despite the amendment, many states passed states passed Jim CrowJim Crow laws: laws:

Literacy tests, poll taxes, and the Literacy tests, poll taxes, and the grandfather clausegrandfather clause

Prevented blacks from voting until Prevented blacks from voting until well past the mid-20well past the mid-20thth century century


During the Civil Rights movement During the Civil Rights movement of the 1950s and 60s, the of the 1950s and 60s, the Supreme Court declared various Supreme Court declared various Jim Crow laws unconstitutionalJim Crow laws unconstitutional


Voting Rights Act of 1965 & other Voting Rights Act of 1965 & other federal laws prohibit states from federal laws prohibit states from using discriminatory practices, using discriminatory practices, such as literacy testssuch as literacy tests

Women’s SuffrageWomen’s Suffrage

In contrast to black Americans, In contrast to black Americans, until the early 20until the early 20thth century women century women were kept from the polls by were kept from the polls by lawlaw more than intimidationmore than intimidation


An aggressive women’s suffrage An aggressive women’s suffrage movement began before the Civil movement began before the Civil War, but it brought no national War, but it brought no national results until social attitudes results until social attitudes toward women changed during toward women changed during the the Progressive MovementProgressive Movement of of the early 20the early 20thth century century


Result was the passage of the Result was the passage of the 1919thth Amendment Amendment

Extended the vote to women in Extended the vote to women in 19201920

1919thth Amendment doubled the size Amendment doubled the size of the electorateof the electorate

18-21-Year-Olds18-21-Year-Olds

A final major expansion of voting A final major expansion of voting rights occurred in 1971 with the rights occurred in 1971 with the passage of the 26passage of the 26thth Amendment Amendment

Changed the minimum voting age Changed the minimum voting age from 21 to 18from 21 to 18

18-21-Year-Olds18-21-Year-Olds

A few states (Georgia, Kentucky, A few states (Georgia, Kentucky, Alaska, Hawaii) had allowed younger Alaska, Hawaii) had allowed younger people to vote before 1971people to vote before 1971

Increased political activism of young Increased political activism of young people, particularly on college people, particularly on college campuses during the 1960s, inspired campuses during the 1960s, inspired this expansion of voting rightsthis expansion of voting rights

Documents

Political Participation Nonvoting Rise of the American Electorate