Chapter 6 Section 4

Nonvoters Idiot started as a Greek term for someone who doesn’t vote. Resident aliens, ill or physically disabled, traveling, mental health facility or prison, religious beliefs.

Why People Don’t Vote People are convinced that their vote will not matter. Distrust of politics or politicians. Inconvenient registration process, long lines at polling places, bad weather, or time-zone fallout. Lack of interest.

Comparing Voters and Nonvoters People most likely to vote have higher levels of income, education, and occupational status. Voters typically have a strong sense of party identification. Nonvoters are likely to be under the age of 35 and unmarried. More nonvoters in the South than in more urban areas.

Voters and Voting Behavior We learn about voting behavior from three areas 1. Results of particular elections- Can use demographics to determine how a group might vote. 2. Field of survey research- Measuring public opinion. Gallup Poll. 3. Political socialization- How people gain their political opinions.

Sociological Factors Income/Occupation- Lower income are more likely to vote Democratic, higher Republican. Education- Graduates tend to vote Republican. Gender/Age- Women tend to vote more Democrat and men Republican. Younger votes tend to be more Democrat.

Sociological Factors Religious/Ethnic Background- Catholics and Jews are more Democrat. Minority groups are more Democrat. Geography- South has voted more Republican in recent years. Democrats draw support from big cities in the North and East. Family and Other Groups- Members of a family vote the same way.

Psychological Factors Party Identification- Loyalty to a particular party. Is becoming less of a factor. Candidates and Issues- A person can simply like one candidate better than the other. May be drawn in by the issues.