1. Voter Trends
EQ: How does data on voter trends affect the parties’ platforms?

2. Last class
Lions and Bears as ruling parties still need other animal voters.
The major parties must govern and deliver policy that the other animals like if they hope to stay in power.

3. Voter trends
How do people decide to vote?

4. FYI
democratic = form of government in which power rests with the people
republic = form of government in which people elect representatives
So we have a democratic republic (not a true direct democracy)
Democrat = political party
Republican = political party
CAPITALS MATTER!

5. Political Socialization
Process through which an individual acquires his particular political orientations
Family
Mass media
School
Lifelong process
Informal process, over time

6. Ideology and Party Ideology – coherent belief system
Party – organization to win elections
So parties have platforms that may change and compromise.

7. Party Generalizations
Democrats
Republicans
Pro choice
Against death penalty
Want more gun control legislation
Marriage equality*
Favor more programs that provide benefits and services
Pro life
Pro death penalty*
Gun rights
Traditional/conservative
Focus on protection (defense spending and police power)

8. Patterns/generalizations
Voter Trends
Patterns/generalizations

9. Look at data Group Likelihood of voting and possible explanation
Political leanings
Women
A little more likely to vote, 52-54%.
Democrat, in the 50s%.
Men
A little less likely to vote, 46-48%.
Republican, in the 50s%
Leave 2-3 lines for each, where we will put our possible explanations for the trend.
Groups:

10. Groups for your chart
Under and over White Black Hispanic East West South Liberal Conservative
Under $15k $15k-29k $30k-49k $50k-75k Over $75k No high school degree High School grad College grad Postgraduate Christian Jewish Catholic

11. LO 1.1 To Learning Objectives Linked with apathy, knowledge.
If for previous chart you said that young people don’t believe politics is relevant… how would they know?
Americans know very little about their government and politics compared to other countries
To Learning Objectives

12. LO 7.2 To Learning Objectives
Table 7.1 The Top 25 Lycos Searches for the Week of the First 2008 Presidential Debate
To Learning Objectives
Copyright © 2011 Pearson Education, Inc. Publishing as Longman

13. LO 1.1 To Learning Objectives Apathy -> not voting
Democracy is about bribing: votes for policy… no wonder young people may think the gov’t doesn’t look out for them
The graying of America: more older folks, and more likely to vote, significant voting bloc
Discuss peaks and valleys – drop in midterm election voter turnout
To Learning Objectives

14. LO 8.5 To Learning Objectives
Income: more money does mean more participation, lower income favors blue, but higher income is not the exact opposite, only favors red a little
Gender: males split, women favor blue (contributes to conclusion from table 6) – “Gender Gap”
African American: super Blue (around 90% in any election go to Dems)
Hispanic: favor blue * Mexicans more blue than Cubans
White ethic/religious Groups: Jewish and Catholics favor blue
Evangelical/protestant: favor red
So with so many groups favoring blue, why are elections so close?
Voter turnout
Gerrymandering
Long lines and other types of voter suppression
$ towards campaigns
To Learning Objectives
Copyright © 2011 Pearson Education, Inc. Publishing as Longman

16. What keeps people from voting?
Long lines
Lack of information
Apathy or frustration
Registration requirements
Too busy
Short windows for voting
Photo ID requirements

17. Create a Citizen Roll the dice to make your citizen Look at the data
Determine how likely you are to vote
Determine your likely party affiliation (and to what degree)

18. Summary
Answer the question of the day