Political Participation Voter Registration Reasons for Low Voter Turnout

Political ParticipationPolitical Participation

Voter RegistrationVoter Registration

Reasons for Low Voter Reasons for Low Voter TurnoutTurnout

VotingVoting

Voting is at the heart of a Voting is at the heart of a modern democracymodern democracy

A vote sends a direct message A vote sends a direct message to the government about how a to the government about how a citizen wants to be governedcitizen wants to be governed

VotingVoting Over the course of American Over the course of American

history, history, voting rights have voting rights have gradually expandedgradually expanded

Today—very few individuals are Today—very few individuals are excludedexcluded

VotingVoting Yet—expanding suffrage is Yet—expanding suffrage is

countered by a current trend:countered by a current trend: Lower percentages of eligible Lower percentages of eligible

voters in recent presidential voters in recent presidential elections actually going to the polls elections actually going to the polls to cast their votesto cast their votes

VotingVoting For example—only about For example—only about 50% of 50% of

eligibleeligible votersvoters actually voted in actually voted in the 2000 and 2004 presidential the 2000 and 2004 presidential electionselections


Laws vary according to stateLaws vary according to state All states except North Dakota All states except North Dakota

require voter registrationrequire voter registration

Voter RegistrationVoter Registration Until a few years ago some states Until a few years ago some states

required voters to register as much required voters to register as much as 6 months before the electionas 6 months before the election

Voter RegistrationVoter Registration In other words, if someone moved In other words, if someone moved

into the state, forgot to register, or into the state, forgot to register, or passed their 18passed their 18thth birthday, he/she birthday, he/she would be ineligible to vote in any would be ineligible to vote in any elections for 6 monthselections for 6 months

Voter RegistrationVoter Registration These rigid requirements were the These rigid requirements were the

result of voting abuses of the early result of voting abuses of the early 2020thth century: century:

Ballot box stuffingBallot box stuffing People voting twicePeople voting twice Dead people votingDead people voting

Voter RegistrationVoter Registration In recent times, these requirements In recent times, these requirements

are believed to be responsible for are believed to be responsible for low voter turnoutlow voter turnout


Federal law prohibits any state Federal law prohibits any state from requiring more than a 30-from requiring more than a 30-day waiting periodday waiting period


In 1993, Congress passed In 1993, Congress passed the National Voter the National Voter Registration ActRegistration Act

AKA - AKA - Motor VoterMotor Voter bill bill

Motor Voter BillMotor Voter Bill Allows people to Allows people to register to register to

vote while applying or vote while applying or renewing a driver’s licenserenewing a driver’s license

Also requires states to provide Also requires states to provide assistance to facilitate voter assistance to facilitate voter registrationregistration

Motor Voter BillMotor Voter Bill

Removal of names from voting Removal of names from voting rolls for nonvoting is no longer rolls for nonvoting is no longer allowedallowed

Motor Voter BillMotor Voter Bill Supporters of the law claim that it Supporters of the law claim that it

will add some 49 million people to will add some 49 million people to the voting rollsthe voting rolls

Motor Voter BillMotor Voter Bill Neither the 2000 or 2004 Neither the 2000 or 2004

presidential elections showed presidential elections showed significant increases in voting significant increases in voting percentagespercentages


In general, Democrats have In general, Democrats have been more supportive of the bill been more supportive of the bill than Republicansthan Republicans

Why?Why?


They believe new registration They believe new registration will favor the Democrats based will favor the Democrats based on demographic factorson demographic factors

Other Reasons for Low Voter Other Reasons for Low Voter TurnoutsTurnouts

Difficulty of absentee votingDifficulty of absentee voting Number of offices to electNumber of offices to elect Weekday, non-holiday votingWeekday, non-holiday voting Weak political partiesWeak political parties

Difficulty of Absentee VotingDifficulty of Absentee Voting

Even if citizens remember to Even if citizens remember to register ahead of time, they can register ahead of time, they can only vote in their own precinctsonly vote in their own precincts


If a voter is out of town on If a voter is out of town on election day, he or she has to election day, he or she has to vote by absentee ballotvote by absentee ballot

Most states have stringent rules Most states have stringent rules about voting absenteeabout voting absentee


For example, some states For example, some states require a voter to apply for a require a voter to apply for a ballot in personballot in person

America is a highly mobile America is a highly mobile society, so this makes a society, so this makes a differencedifference

Number of Offices to ElectNumber of Offices to Elect

Because American vote for so Because American vote for so many officials on many different many officials on many different levels of government, they cannot levels of government, they cannot keep up with all the campaigns & keep up with all the campaigns & electionselections


Americans vote for more public Americans vote for more public officials & hold more elections by officials & hold more elections by far than any other modern far than any other modern democracydemocracy

In most states, primary elections, In most states, primary elections, general elections are held every general elections are held every year or twoyear or two

Weekday, Non-holiday VotingWeekday, Non-holiday Voting

In many other democracies, In many other democracies, elections take place on weekendselections take place on weekends

Others that hold elections on Others that hold elections on weekdays declare election day a weekdays declare election day a national holiday so that no one has national holiday so that no one has to go to workto go to work


By law, national general elections By law, national general elections in the U.S. are held on the Tuesday in the U.S. are held on the Tuesday after the first Monday in November after the first Monday in November in even-numbered statesin even-numbered states


Most state & local elections are Most state & local elections are also held during the week, and only also held during the week, and only a few localities declare election day a few localities declare election day a holidaya holiday

Many people find it difficult to get Many people find it difficult to get off work in order to voteoff work in order to vote

Weak Political PartiesWeak Political Parties

In many countries, parties make In many countries, parties make great efforts to get people to the great efforts to get people to the pollspolls


In earlier days, parties called their In earlier days, parties called their members to ensure that they members to ensure that they register and that they voteregister and that they vote

Parties also would often provide Parties also would often provide transportation to the pollstransportation to the polls


Although parties still have “get-Although parties still have “get-out-the-vote campaigns,” out-the-vote campaigns,” parties today are not as parties today are not as strongly organized at the strongly organized at the “grass roots” – or local level “grass roots” – or local level as they used to beas they used to be

Political ParticipationPolitical Participation

In studies that compare political In studies that compare political participation rates in the U.S. with participation rates in the U.S. with other countries, other countries, Americans tend Americans tend to engage more frequently in to engage more frequently in non-electoral forms of non-electoral forms of participationparticipation::


Examples include:Examples include: Campaign contributionsCampaign contributions Community involvementCommunity involvement Contacts with public officialsContacts with public officials

Enduring QuestionsEnduring Questions

Does it really matter that Does it really matter that the U.S. has a low voter the U.S. has a low voter turnout?turnout?

Some say no because they Some say no because they think it indicates Americans are think it indicates Americans are happy with the status quohappy with the status quo


Others believe that a low voter Others believe that a low voter turnout signals apathy about out turnout signals apathy about out political system in generalpolitical system in general

If only a few people take time to If only a few people take time to learn about the issues we are open learn about the issues we are open to manipulation by authoritarian to manipulation by authoritarian rulerule


Did the expansion of suffrage Did the expansion of suffrage lead to voting rates by widening lead to voting rates by widening the voting base?the voting base?

Will the Motor-Voter Law Will the Motor-Voter Law eventually improve voting rates?eventually improve voting rates?

Is voter registration still too Is voter registration still too difficult a process?difficult a process?


Do we need to move elections to Do we need to move elections to weekends?weekends?

Do we need fewer elected positions?Do we need fewer elected positions? Or do low voter turnouts just Or do low voter turnouts just

indicated that people are happy with indicated that people are happy with government & don’t feel the need to government & don’t feel the need to vote?vote?

Whatever the reasons, the Whatever the reasons, the U.S. today has one of its U.S. today has one of its

lowest voting rates among lowest voting rates among modern democraciesmodern democracies

Documents

Political Participation Voter Registration Reasons for Low Voter Turnout