Chapter 6: Voters and Voter Behavior

*useful notes Right to vote = Suffrage = Franchise Electorate- the potential voting population National Gov’t does not have the ability to set voting qualifications –Reserved for the States…

Qualifications Universal requirements –Citizenship Aliens (not the Ridley Scott or MIB kinds) –Residency Dunn v. Blumstein (1972) transients –Age 26 th Amendment –“Old enough to fight, old enough to vote”? (WWII) »What is this similar to?

Qualifications cont’d Registration –“Motor Voter Law” –Purging the poll books Outlawed qualifications –Literacy tests (which Amendment?) –Tax Payments (which Amendment?) Poll tax Those Denied to Vote –Legally mentally incompetent –Convicted of a serious crime –The homeless??

The Right to Vote & Civil Rights The 15 th Amendment –Illegal tactics that curtailed the 15 th Amendment Poll taxes, literacy tests, “white primaries”, private political parties (Democratic “Solid South”), gerrymandering

Civil Rights (Voting) Legislation Voting Rights Act of 1957 –set up US Civil Rights Commission Voting Rights Act of 1960 –appointment of federal voting referees Voting Rights Act of 1964 –forbade use of any unfair or discriminatory requirements –could use injunctions to overcome racial barriers

Voting Rights Act of 1965 Applied to all election (National, State, & Local) All remaining poll taxes were removed Literacy tests were (later) permanently banned States must gain preclearance from US Dept. of Justice Amended 3x (1970, 1975, & 1982) –All ballots & official election materials must be printed in minorities language

Voter Turnout The last 10 presidential elections: – % – % – % – % – % – % – % – % – % – % What is this saying?

Athenian Democracy IDIOT Idiotes- Gk. ‘a self-centered person; private person; an ignorant person” –Concerning democracy- one who does not vote

Nonvoters During any (pres.) election year, consistently anywhere between 45-55% of the electorate does not vote –This is percentage is significantly higher during off-year elections Not only that…those who DO vote can be nonvoters too –“ballot fatigue”

Why? Their Reasons –Some cannot vote (in 2004 ≈ 20% of nonvoters) –Deliberate Lack political efficacy Believe their vote will not make a difference Do not trust politics and politicians Are complacent with the gov’t/politics as they are now Some Factors –“time-zone fallout” –(bad) weather –Lack of interest –Cumbersome procedures

Voters v. Nonvoters… The Difference: –Voters Higher levels of income, education, and job status well-integrated into their communities (long time residences) Strong party ID Women** –Nonvoters Under 35y.o., unmarried, unskilled Live in rural areas Men**

Voting Behaviors How to study voting behaviors… –Results of a particular election –Field study research can be unreliable – e.g. exit polling –Study political socialization (THIS!) Sociological factors –Study of society Psychological factors –the description and explanation of states of consciousness in human beings. Though similarly different, they coexist and each affects the other

Sociological Factors Income & Occupation Education Gender & Age –gender gap- women = Democrat, men = Republican Religious & Ethnic Background Geography tua famiglia & Other Groups

Psychological Factors Party Identification –Straight-ticket voting –Split-ticket voting –Independents Candidates The Issues