1. Voters and Voter Behavior
Chapter 6

2. Constitutional Right to Vote
The framers of the Constitution left the power to set suffrage rights up to each state.
Suffrage- The right to vote.
Franchise- The right to vote.
Originally set up that only white male property owners had the right to vote.

3. The Electorate The potential voting age population
Nearly all citizens over 18 years of age.

4. You gotta fight, for your right, to vote!!!
The rights to vote for all came in stages.
Religious tests and property ownership tests went away in the 1850’s.
Following the Civil War, African Americans were granted the right to vote, however, many laws in the South prevented this from happening.
1920, 19th Amendment: Women’s Suffrage.

5. 4. Civil Rights era of the 1960’s
4. Civil Rights era of the 1960’s. Federal legislation such as the Voting Rights Act and elimination of the poll tax.
5. 26th Amendment, the Right for 18 year olds to vote.

6. Voter Qualifications
Determined by state
Citizenship
Age
Registration

7. Why people do not vote Jury Duty Negative campaigning
My vote does not make a difference
Time Zone Fall-out
-During Presidential elections, the East Coast polls close much earlier than the West coast and at times the Presidential race is decided. (Mondale vs. Reagan)

8. Voting Statistics
Reached a peek at a little over 60% nationwide in the late 1960s and now is around 50%.
This is of registered voters, not all eligible voters.
These statistics are for Presidential Races only. (Years like 2006 are off-year and are much less of a turnout.)

9. Voter Behavior Factors that effect your vote
Age
Race
Income
Occupation
Education
Religion
Family
Co-workers
Friends

10. Sociological Factors All facts below are the average.
Income-Upper income = Republican
Occupation- Union members = Democrats
The more educated you are, the more likely you are to be voting for Republicans. Except Master’s Degrees or above, then it reverts back to the Democrats
Gender- Men are more likely to vote Republican than women.
Age- The younger you are, the more likely you are to vote Democratic, the older the more likely you are to vote Republican.
Geographical Factors- Red and Blue States

11. Psychological Factors
Party Identification- Loyalty to a party. The single most significant predictor of someone’s vote. (This is on the decline)
Straight-Ticket voting- The practice of voting for candidates of but one party in an election.
Split ticket voting- The practice of voting for candidates of more than one party
Independents- Voters that do not have an allegiance to any political party.