Voting and Elections

Voting Limitations in Early America Voting is making a choice among alternatives in an election. Suffrage is the “Right” to vote Until the first half of the 1800s, voting was generally limited to white, property-owning men. After the Constitution was adopted, states had their own voting rules. In the early 1800s, state legislatures abolished property and religious requirements.

African American Suffrage Initially, no enslaved persons and few free African Americans could vote. The Fifteenth Amendment provided the first federal voting rules required of the states. The grandfather clause (exemption in a law for a certain group based on previous conditions) and literacy tests(test based on a person’s ability to read and write) were designed to disenfranchise African American voters. Use of a poll tax in national elections was outlawed by the Twenty-fourth Amendment. The Voting Rights Act of 1965 was broadened by voting rights laws in 1970, 1975, and 1982.

Suffrage for Women and Youth Women began an organized fight for suffrage in the mid- 1800s. By 1914, eleven western states allowed women to vote. The Nineteenth Amendment granted women suffrage on the national level. The Twenty-sixth Amendment, ratified in 1971, lowered the voting age to 18 “Democracy demanded that ALL people be permitted to vote; if young people were old enough to be drafted, they should be allowed to vote”

The Structure of Elections Election cycles, term limits, and ballot issues all influence voter choices at the polls. Federal election cycles are determined by the term lengths set out in the Constitution. Midterm election – a Congressional election that takes place halfway through the president’s term in office The federal election cycle ensures that the entire government will not turn over at the same time. Some, but not all, federal and state positions have term limits (reduce corruption, reduce campaigning) In many states, citizens vote on legislative referendums, popular referendums, and initiatives.

Voters’ Election Choices Voters’ personal backgrounds affect their decisions. Cross pressured voter – voter who is caught between conflicting elements in his or her identify Voters are also influenced by loyalty, or lack of loyalty, to a political party Voters look for a variety of qualifications in candidates for office. Voters are typically most concerned with issues that directly affect them.

Voter Participation Voter participation in the U.S. is low compared to many other democracies around the world. Many citizens do not vote because of registration practices or little party involvement. Voter turnout is impacted by the sheer number of elections and new requirements for voting. Citizens who vote regularly have positive attitudes toward government and citizenship. A number of reforms are being considered to make voting more convenient.

Voter Behavior In the 2000 election 205.8 million Americans were eligible to vote Only 105.4 million (51.2%) actually voted for president Only 99 million (48%) voted for U.S. Representative In the 1998 off-year election, only 66,033 (33.9%) voted for U.S. Representative

Why People Don’t Vote “cannot vote” nonvoters (20 million) Resident aliens Ill or physically cannot make it to the polls Traveling out of country unexpectedly People in mental health care facilities In jail or prison Religious nonvoters Actual nonvoters (80 million) People deliberately choose not to vote Convinced it makes no real difference who wins Satisfaction Distrust of politics and politicians Lack of political efficacy (lack of any sense of their own influence or effectiveness in politics.)

Factors Affecting Turnout Complicated election procedures Inconvenient registration requirements Long ballots Long lines at polling places Bad weather Time-zone Fallout Because polls have closed in the east and central time-zones, a winner may be declared before some people vote in the mountain and pacific zones Lack of Interest

Who Votes? The people most likely to vote: Display such characteristics as higher levels of income, education, and occupational status. They are well-integrated into community life, long-time residents, who are active and comfortable in their surroundings Strong party identification, and believe voting is important Women are more likely to vote than men

Who Doesn’t Vote? People are less likely to vote if: They are younger than 35, unmarried, and unskilled They live in the South and in rural areas

Sociological Factors Political Socialization is the process by which people come to believe what they believe about politics Factors that influence voting behavior Income, occupation (higher income – Republican) Education (more education – Republican, however, education make you more liberal) Gender, Age (women, young people – Democrat) Religion (Protestants – Republican, Catholics, Jews – Democrat) Geography (South/Midwest – Republican, Northeast/West – Democrat) Family (You vote the way your parents voted)

Psychological Factors A strong party identification is the single most significant and lasting predictor of how a person will vote. Straight-ticket voting – voting for candidates of only one party in an election Split-ticket voting – voting for candidates of more than one party in the same election The impression a candidate makes on the voters can have an impact on how they will vote The role of issues are especially important in presidential elections, people care about the things that effect them most.

Campaign Strategies A campaign manager is responsible for the overall strategy and planning in a campaign. Organization is responsible for planning, strategy, media relations, managing finances, opinion polls and creating campaign materials A large election campaign expenditure is advertising, much of which is propaganda (ideas, information, or rumors to influence opinion). Television is the most important communication tool for a presidential candidate. Influence voters’ opinion appealing to emotions and referencing rumors Social media can be a powerful and cost-effective campaign tool

Campaign Finance Efforts to regulate money in campaigns are controversial. Limits on campaign spending and donations can be seen as limits on free speech. Presidential candidates who receive public funds must limit the amount spent by their campaign. Direct funding, or hard money, comes from contributions made directly to a candidate.

Indirect Funding Indirect funding, or soft money, comes from organizations independent from a campaign. Political Action Committees are organizations formed to collect money and provide financial support for political candidates (can donate up to $2600) Soft money is raised by a political party for general purposes not a specific candidate SuperPACs are political action committees that do not coordinate with election campaigns and can spend unlimited amounts (allies)

Which group spends the most and why?

What is the goal of this poster?

Voter Qualifications and Voter Registration States require U.S. citizenship and some period of state residence in order to vote. To vote, one must first be registered, or enrolled with the local government. Registration is required to prevent voter fraud. You must complete a registration form in order to become eligible to vote. Political parties and nonpartisan groups help people register to vote

Voting Voting in the United States is optional, but it is an important part of democracy. Compulsory voting – mandatory voting Voters should be informed about the issues and candidates that will be on the ballot. Voters are assigned a polling place (location in a precinct where people vote) within their precinct and near their residence. Precinct – voting district Voting procedures and ballots vary from state to state, and voters are entitled to assistance. Absentee ballot – ballot that allows a person to vote without going to the polls on Election Day When the polls close, the ballots are forwarded to the local canvassing board for counting

The Power to Set Voting Qualifications 5 Restrictions placed on States Each state must allow eligible voters to vote in all elections within the state No state can deprive a person the right to vote because of race No state can deprive a person the right to vote on account of gender No state can require the payment of a poll tax No state can deprive a person over the age of 18 the right to vote because of age.

Voter Qualifications 3 factors used to determine voter eligibility Citizenship Residence Important to keep political machines from importing enough outsiders to affect the outcome of the election and to ensure that every voter has at least some time in which to become familiar with the candidates and issues in an election. Age

Civil Rights Legislation Civil Rights Act of 1957 Set up the U.S. Civil Rights Commission to check into claims of voter discrimination, gave the attorney general authority to prevent interference with any person’s right to vote in a federal election Civil Rights of 1960 Added an additional safeguard by allowing the appointment of federal voting referees when voter discrimination is uncovered

Legislation (cont.) Civil Rights Act of 1964 Voting Rights Act of 1965 Broader and more effective than its predecessors. Outlaws discrimination in several areas, especially job related matters Forbids the use of any voter registration or literacy requirement in an unfair or discriminatory manner and makes violation a federal offence Voting Rights Act of 1965 Made the 15th amendment a truly effective part of the Constitution Applied to all elections held anywhere in the country