VOTING and ELECTIONS

Voter Participation Across the Globe U.S.A. 50% U.K. 77% Canada 70% France 80% Mexico 60% Russia 55% Brazil 100% India 53% Japan 67% Australia 95%

Voter Participation Across the Globe Austria 58% Venezuela 64% Belize 90% South Africa 92% Denmark 85% Malta 96% Greece 99%

suffrage = the right to vote

Expanding the Electorate: “The Voting Amendments” 1870 15th Amendment suffrage extended to African American men 1920 19th Amendment suffrage extended to women 1961 23rd Amendment D.C. granted 3 electoral votes 1964 24th Amendment poll tax declared unconstitutional 1971 26th Amendment suffrage extended to 18 year-olds

CONVENTIONAL vs. UNCONVENTIONAL POLITICAL PARTICIPATION Conventional Methods Registering to vote VOTING Writing letters or emails to your representative or senator Making a phone call to your representative or senator Forming an interest group Joining an interest group Making financial contributions to campaigns or interest groups Unconventional Methods Boston Tea Party Shay’s Rebellion participating in boycotts or protests (WTO, World Bank) camping outside President Bush’s ranch to protest the Iraq War throwing red paint on those who wear fur coats to protest animal cruelty

Voting Rights Act of 1965

Voting Rights Act of 1965 applied to ALL elections held anywhere in this country--local, state, and national suspended the use of any literacy tests or similar device in any state or county where less than half of the electorate had been registered to vote in the 1964 presidential election authorized the Attorney General to appoint voting examiners to serve in any of those states or counties gave federal officers the right to register voters and otherwise oversee the conduct of the elections in those areas this Act provided for major changes in voter registration and elections in six states--Alabama, Georgia, Mississippi, Louisiana, South Carolina, and VIRGINIA, and 40 counties in North Carolina

Voter Turnout in the United States Year % Turnout of Voting Age Population 2008 62.00 2006 37.10 2004 55.30 2002 37.00 2000 51.20 1998 33.90 1996 49.00 1994 36.60 1992 55.10 1990 33.10 1988 50.30 1986 33.50 1984 53.30 1982 38.00 1980 52.80 1978 34.90 1976 53.50 1974 35.90 1972 55.20 1970 43.50 1968 60.90 * Presidential election years in bold; off-year (mid-term) elections in plain type U.S. Census Bureau

Registered Voters 

Voting Behavior Voting is the most common form of conventional political participation Turnout is the proportion of the electorate who votes States regulate voter eligibility Voters are more educated and make more money Voters are likely to be middle-aged, women, and white The South traditionally has the lowest voter turnout rate

Turnout of Eligible Voters 

Voting in the South v. Non-South 

Voter Eligibility

Why Is Turnout so Low? In 2008, 62 percent of eligible voters turned out Most common reason for not voting is being too busy Registration can also be an unclear process Absentee voting can be difficult There are a lot of elections People are apathetic Political parties have less influence than in earlier years

Why People Don’t Vote 

Ways to Improve Voter Turnout Make registration and absentee voting easier Make Election Day a holiday Strengthen political parties

Reported Voting in 2000 Background % of VAP Reported White 60.4 U.S. Census Bureau Background % of VAP Reported White 60.4 Black 53.5 Hispanic 27.5 Asian/ 25.4 Pacific Islander Education % of VAP Reported Less than 9th Grade 39.3 9th-12th, no diploma 38.0 HS or GED 52.5 Some college 63.1 B.A. 75.4 Advanced 81.9 degree Age % of VAP Reported 18-24 36.1 24-34 50.5 35-44 60.5 45-54 66.3 55-64 70.1 65-74 72.2 75-84 66.5 85+ 52.2

Group Voting Patterns

personal What are the major factors that influence voters’ decisions? background loyalty to political parties campaign issues voter’s image of a candidate propaganda

Purposes of Elections Legitimize government, even in authoritarian systems Organize government Choose issue and policy priorities Electorate gives winners a mandate

Types of Elections Primary elections can be open or closed Crossover voting or raiding can occur in open primaries Runoff primaries held if no candidate wins a majority General elections determine who will fill public offices Ballot measures: initiative, referendum, and recall

Nominating a President Delegates to convention chosen by election or caucus Iowa Caucus, New Hampshire Primary Elections may be winner-take-all or proportional Caucuses are better for the party organization Elections allow for broader participation Trend toward front-loading

Front-loading 

Party Conventions Each party has its own rules about delegates Delegates tied to candidate, except superdelegates Require representation of women and minorities Republicans do not bind delegates to candidate Media extensively cover happenings

Women at Conventions 

The Electoral College Representatives from each state who select president Electors equivalent to senators plus representatives Framers favored system to remove power from people Originally president and vice president selected alone Changed after 12th Amendment 1876 and 2000 elections demonstrate concerns

The Electoral College U.S. House 435 U.S. Senate 100 D.C. 3 Total 538

(or the vote goes to the House of Representatives) 270/538 needed to win (or the vote goes to the House of Representatives)

The Electoral College 

Reforming the Electoral College Three major proposals have been made: Select the president by popular vote Each congressional district has a vote Keep the College, abolish the electors

Reforming the Electoral Process End front-loading with regional primaries Even the playing field with new campaign finance laws Increase turnout with online voting or voting by mail Make voting more accessible with a modern ballot

Electronic Voting Machines

Congressional Elections In Congress, incumbency has its advantages Support from a paid staff Media and travel budgets “Scaring off” other challengers Redistricting and gerrymandering to protect incumbents

Gerrymandering 

2008 Congressional Elections Democrats advantaged by momentum and money Used these to make gains in House and Senate Victories in South and West were particularly notable

Why Incumbents Lose Redistricting can pit incumbents against one another Scandals or personal misconduct Presidential coattails Midterm elections; president’s party usually loses seats