1. Sept 9 – Polling and Voting
Agenda:
Quick-write
Ideology
Voter Turn Out
Enrolling in MyPoliSciLab
Polling Consultant
Push Polling
Take out:
Notebook
Pen/Pencil
Homework:
Page
Begin Chapter 9 SG

2. Quick-write
What are the major ideological differences between liberals and conservatives?

3. LIBERALS
Favor active central government with social and economic responsibilities
Favor peaceful political and social change within the existing political system
Economically tend to favor:
strong positive action to solve the nation's problems
more equal distribution of wealth
regulation of big business
programs that promote equality (welfare, social programs)
Opposes increases in defense spending and military actions, prayer in school, tax breaks for the wealthy.
Socially, liberals favor:
small government (less likely to abridge individual freedoms) except action to protect civil rights

4. CONSERVATIVES
Favor limited government and freedom of the private sector
Approach change cautiously
Economically, most often support
less active government (oppose redistribution of wealth, support free market)
Favor reduced taxes
Oppose affirmative action and spending on social programs
Socially, conservatives favor
large role for the government (security, policing, national defense)
moral standards, protect "family values”, oppose abortion

5. Quick Check 1:
Who is more likely to vote for a conservative candidate? Why?
White, evangelical minister
African-American Baptist minister
Cuban immigrant living in Florida working minimum wage
Middle-class Hispanic-American housewife

6. Quick Check 2: Who is most likely to vote for a liberal candidate?
Upper income Jewish male rabbi
Lower income African-American mother
Middle income Asian American protestant high school student
White male who did not graduate from high school

7. Enrolling in Mypoliscilab
Follow the instructions on the handout

8. You are a Polling Consultant
Select the resources for our text
Click on “student resources”
Select “simulations”
Select simulation #11 “You are a Polling Consultant”

9. Push Poll
Operates under the guise of a legitimate survey to spread lies, rumors and innuendos about candidates.
Survey containing questions which attempt to change the opinion of contacted voters.  
Increase negativity regarding candidates
Based on potentially legitimate information
Test a voter – inform regarding virtues and vices that might not be known.
Add info question by question to test commitment and to assess which issues might push a voter away from their initial choice

10. Examples of push polling
“If you learned that [Candidate A] has voted for six tax increases in the state legislature, would this make you more or less likely to support her?”
“If you learned that [Candidate B] opposes a woman’s right to choose an abortion, would this make you more or less likely to support him?”
“Would you still support this person if you learned that he is [a tax evader, a baby killer, or shoots newborn puppies for sport]?”

11. Negative Persuasion Phoning:
Hello, my name is _______ calling from the Citizens for Tax Fairness. I am calling to remind you that unlike thousands of your fellow citizens, Jeb Bush failed to pay local and state taxes and he has profited at the taxpayers’ expense from business deals involving failed savings and loan properties. Mr. Bush doesn’t play by the same rules like the rest of us and we want to make sure you are aware of this before you cast your vote on Tuesday.
Thank you and have a good day/evening.

12. Voter Turn Out
How to get to the polls

13. Historical qualifications
Religion (eliminated by states)
Property (eliminated by states)
Race (eliminated by 15th Amendment)
Sex (eliminated by 19th Amendment)
Income (eliminated by 24th Amendment)
Literacy (eliminated by Voting Rights Act of 1965)
Minimum Age of 21 (eliminated by 26th Amendment)

14. Current Qualifications
ALL SET BY STATES!!
Citizenship, residency, age, registration

15. What

16. Comparison US Western European ~50% in presidential elections
~30—40% in midterm elections
Even lower in state elections
Declining since 1960
Western European
~90% turn out rate

18. Comparison We have no compulsory voting
No fines, no same day registration, dual party system allows for fewer choice

19. Reasons for Low Turn Out
Institutional Barriers
How many can you name?

20. Answers. . . Registration Ballot Fatigue Excessive # of Elections
Type of election
Difficulty of Attaining absentee ballot
Age—youth are the worst

21. Reasons for Low Turn Out
Political Reasons:
Lack of political efficacy
Dissatisfaction with candidates, parties, etc.
Lack of strong 2 party competition
Weaknesses of parties in mobilizing voters

22. Voter Behavior
Factors Affecting

23. Democrat
Democrat
Republican
+ Swing
Republican
Democratic
Republican
Democratic
Republican

24. Geography, Time
Solid South—traditionally Democratic, trending Republican
Coattail effect
Critical Elections “realigning”
Long term change in political alignment

25. Party ID Probably second strongest predictor of voting behavior
Split ticket voting
Independents
Rising quickly
Tend to be young, college educated, above average incomes
Retrospective/Prospective Voting

26. Who votes, Who doesn’t, Who cares?
Characteristics of those likely to vote
Level of educational achievement greatest predictor of voting
Cuts across all other factors
Income—rich vs. poor
Age—older vote more than young
Race—whites more likely than African Americans more likely than Hispanics

27. Who votes, Who doesn’t, Who cares?
Does it matter?
Yes—class bias—older, richer, white people dominate
No—nonvoters are demographically different, not politically different

28. Demographics Sex Race Social Class Religion Female / male = Dem, GOP
More likely to vote Dem, African Americans—most loyal Dem voters
Social Class
Upper = GOP; Lower = Dem
Religion
Protestant = GOP; Catholic = Dem; Jewish = Dem.