Voters and Voter BehaviorVoters and Voter BehaviorU.S. GovernmentU.S. Government

Chapter 6Chapter 6

Vocabulary Terms – Chapter 6Vocabulary Terms – Chapter 6 SuffrageSuffrage FranchiseFranchise ElectorateElectorate TransientTransient RegistrationRegistration PurgePurge Poll booksPoll books LiteracyLiteracy Poll TaxPoll Tax GerrymanderingGerrymandering InjunctionInjunction PreclearancePreclearance Off-year electionOff-year election Political efficacyPolitical efficacy Political SocializationPolitical Socialization

- Gender gapGender gap

- Party identificationParty identification

- Straight-ticket votingStraight-ticket voting

- Split-ticket votingSplit-ticket voting

- IndependentIndependent

The Right to VoteThe Right to Vote

SuffrageSuffrage FranchiseFranchise ElectorateElectorate

Chapter 6 Chapter 6 Voters and Voter BehaviorVoters and Voter Behavior

History of Voting RightsHistory of Voting Rights Expansion of the ElectorateExpansion of the Electorate

205 Million eligible voters205 Million eligible voters Benjamin Franklin often lampooned this situation. Benjamin Franklin often lampooned this situation.

He told of a man whose only property was a He told of a man whose only property was a jackass and noted that the man would lose the jackass and noted that the man would lose the right to vote if his jackass dies. “Now,” asked right to vote if his jackass dies. “Now,” asked Franklin, “in whom is the right of suffrage? In the Franklin, “in whom is the right of suffrage? In the man or the Jackass?”man or the Jackass?”

Extending SuffrageExtending Suffrage

Religious QualificationsReligious Qualifications Property QualificationsProperty Qualifications Direct election of SenatorsDirect election of Senators 1515thth Amendment – Civil War Amendments Amendment – Civil War Amendments 1920 - Gender – 191920 - Gender – 19thth Amendment Amendment 1960’s - Enforcement of Voting Rights acts 1960’s - Enforcement of Voting Rights acts 1961 - 231961 - 23rdrd Amendment – District of Columbia Amendment – District of Columbia

added to Presidential electorateadded to Presidential electorate 1964 - 241964 - 24thth Amendment – eliminated the poll tax Amendment – eliminated the poll tax 1971 - 261971 - 26thth Amendment – 18 year olds Amendment – 18 year olds

Voting QualificationsVoting Qualifications

State defined with minimum Federal reg.State defined with minimum Federal reg. Universal RequirementsUniversal Requirements

CitizenshipCitizenship Must be a U.S. CitizenMust be a U.S. Citizen

ResidenceResidence To prevent out of state residents from disrupting To prevent out of state residents from disrupting

state politics (Kansas)state politics (Kansas) AgeAge

Cannot be prevented if 18 – may be allowed if Cannot be prevented if 18 – may be allowed if younger – 17 year olds voting in primariesyounger – 17 year olds voting in primaries

Other QualificationsOther Qualifications

RegistrationRegistration All States except North DakotaAll States except North Dakota

LiteracyLiteracy Not a requirementNot a requirement Grandfather ClauseGrandfather Clause

Tax PaymentTax Payment 2424thth Amendment – outlawed poll tax Amendment – outlawed poll tax

Persons Denied right to VotePersons Denied right to Vote Mental institutions – Convicts – Dishonorably Mental institutions – Convicts – Dishonorably

discharged from military (not all States)discharged from military (not all States)

Fifteenth AmendmentFifteenth Amendment

Registration LawsRegistration Laws Jim Crow laws – continued to prevent blacks from Jim Crow laws – continued to prevent blacks from

votingvoting

GerrymanderingGerrymandering The practice of drawing electoral district lines in The practice of drawing electoral district lines in

order to limit the voting strength of a particular order to limit the voting strength of a particular party or group.party or group.

Civil Rights Act of 1964Civil Rights Act of 1964

Outlaws discrimination in several areas, Outlaws discrimination in several areas, especially in job-related matters.especially in job-related matters.

Forbids the use of any voter registration or Forbids the use of any voter registration or literacy requirements in an unfair or literacy requirements in an unfair or discriminatory manner.discriminatory manner.

Voting Rights Act of 1965Voting Rights Act of 1965

Made the 15Made the 15thth Amendment a truly effective Amendment a truly effective part of the Constitution.part of the Constitution.

This act applied to all elections held This act applied to all elections held anywhere in this country – State and local, anywhere in this country – State and local, as well as federal.as well as federal.

Preclearance Preclearance (p. 162)(p. 162)

That no new election laws, and no changes in That no new election laws, and no changes in existing election laws, could go into effect in any existing election laws, could go into effect in any of those States unless first approved – given of those States unless first approved – given preclearance – by the Department of Justice. preclearance – by the Department of Justice.

Examples:Examples: Location of polling placesLocation of polling places The boundaries of election districtsThe boundaries of election districts Deadlines in the election processDeadlines in the election process Changes from ward or district election to at-large electionsChanges from ward or district election to at-large elections Qualifications candidates must meet in order to run for officeQualifications candidates must meet in order to run for office

Voter BehaviorVoter Behavior

NonvotersNonvoters Idiots – Greek word for non-voterIdiots – Greek word for non-voter

Why People Do Not VoteWhy People Do Not Vote Cannot-VotersCannot-Voters

Religious beliefsReligious beliefs Mental health careMental health care JailJail

Actual Non-VotersActual Non-Voters

In 2000 – 80 million who could have voted In 2000 – 80 million who could have voted did not.did not.

Factors Affecting TurnoutFactors Affecting Turnout Satisfied, Apathy,Satisfied, Apathy, Inconvenient, registration requirements, long Inconvenient, registration requirements, long

ballots, long lines, Bad weatherballots, long lines, Bad weather Time zone falloutTime zone fallout Lack of interestLack of interest

Voters and Voting BehaviorVoters and Voting Behavior

How and Why do people vote the way they How and Why do people vote the way they do? It is predictable?do? It is predictable?

Sociological FactorsSociological Factors

AgeAge RaceRace FamilyFamily Income, OccupationIncome, Occupation EducationEducation GenderGender Religion, Ethnic BackgroundReligion, Ethnic Background GeographyGeography

Psychological FactorsPsychological Factors

Party IdentificationParty Identification Candidates and IssuesCandidates and Issues

Other issues:Other issues: Straight ticket votingStraight ticket voting Split ticket votingSplit ticket voting IndependentsIndependents