1. Government Mr. Rosenstock San Fernando High School
Voter Behavior
Government
Mr. Rosenstock
San Fernando High School

3. There are 18.9 million (18,900,000) eligible voters in Texas
Red = Republican Blue = Democrat

6. Dan Patrick won with 65% of the vote
Only 3.5% of all possible voters voted
Or 570,500 of 18,900,000

8. David Alameel won his party’s nomination for US Senate
However less than 1% of eligible voters voted…
Or 145,000 of 18,900,000

10. IDIOTS: GREEK TERM FOR THOSE WHO DON’T VOTE
227,431,000
Number of eligible voters
146,311,000
Number of registered voters
Only 64% of Americans who can vote, register.
…and that doesn’t mean they actually vote…
57.5%
Turnout of voting age population for the Presidential Election
17,775,077
Eligible voters: California (as of 2014)
7,452,930
Number in CA who actually voted…
42% Overall
49%
White
28%
Latino
8.2%
18-24 yrs of age

11. Why Nearly 90 Million Don’t Vote
“Cannot Voters”
Actual Non Voters
At least 18 million legal non citizens. Remember they are barred from voting in all states
Average of 5 million are too ill to vote
Some 500,000 in mental health facilities
About 100,000 who don’t (cannot) because of religious beliefs
Some 2.2 million adults incarcerated in prisons and jails
Three main reasons:
Things in country going well and will continue regardless of who wins…
Alienation. People who fear/distrust the system and institutions. Elections are meaningless/choice-less exercises.
Lack of political efficacy: feel their vote doesn’t matter/ affect anything

13. Comparing Voters and Non Voters
Most likely voters have:
High level of income
Education
Occupational status
Integrated into community
Strong sense of party ID/ beliefs
Believe that voting is an important act
Most non voters have:
Younger than 35yrs
Unmarried
Unskilled
Live in the South
Live in rural areas
Male
Lack of political efficacy

14. Sociological Factors: (remember each voter possesses several characteristics)
Income:
Voters in lower income brackets less likely to vote
More likely to vote Democratic
Voters in high income brackets more likely to vote
More likely to vote Republican
Occupation:
“Blue Collar” workers (think construction, truck driving, plumbers, electricians, beauticians etc) tend to vote Democratic.
Less likely to vote
“White Collar” (doctors, lawyers, bankers, accountants etc) professionals tend to vote Republican.
More likely to vote

15. Education:
College Educated:
More likely to vote
More likely to vote Republican
High School Educated:
Less likely to vote than College Educated
More likely to vote Democratic
Elementary Education:
Less likely to vote than High School educated

16. Age:
Older people more likely to vote than younger people
More likely to vote Republican
Younger people less likely to vote
More likely to vote Democratic
Gender:
Men less likely to vote than women
Women more likely to vote than men
Men/Women: more likely to differ on issues: abortion, healthcare, social issues and the military

17. Religion:
Protestants (all Christians who aren’t Catholic) tend to favor the Republican Party.
Catholics, Jews and Muslims more often vote Democratic

18. Ethnicity:
African-Americans have historically and overwhelmingly
voted Democratic since the mid 1930s
The Civil Rights movement of the 1960s increased the
Activism and support of Blacks throughout the South

19. Latinos are the largest growing ethnic group in the US
and historically favor the Democratic Party
Members of the
Brown Berets
(LA, 1970)
However, Cuban Americans (mostly in Florida) tend
to be more conservative and vote Republican

21. Geography:
Where you live influences how you vote: the South, rural areas, much of the Midwest, smaller towns and suburban America tend to vote Republican. As do states in the Northeast like Maine and Vermont.
Big cities in the North and East, and urban areas in general usually favor the Democrats.