1. Please have out: Notes Pen Pencil Thinking Cap on

2. 2012 AP US Govt. Voter Turnout 2012 AP US Govt. Voter Turnout November 13, 2012 AP EXAM QUESTION: Explain why each of the following enhances the influence of public opinion on the voting decisions of members of Congress. Strong public opinion as expressed in polling results Competitive re-elections Objective: Examine Why people vote and to understand voting demographics!

3. Historical qualifications for suffrage (what were some barriers to voting) To Do: List 4 historical qualifications for voting AND what eliminated these qualifications 1.Religion: eliminated by state legislatures 2.Property: eliminated by state legislatures 3.Race: eliminated by 15 th amendment 4.Gender: eliminated by 19 th amendment 5.Income: eliminated by 24 th amendment 6.Literacy: eliminated by Voting Rights Act of 1965 7.Minimum Age 21: eliminated by 26 th Amendment

4. Current Qualifications (set by states…great example of F&$@&#@$%&?) 1.Citizenship 2.Residency: 30 days general, 60 days presidential 3.Age 4.Registration: all except North Dakota 1.List of all residents 2.Affidavit if not SEE ATTACHED 5. Felon

5. Voter Turnout in US vs. Other Countries SEE CHART #1-ONE EFFECT ON CAMPAIGNING? 1.US~50% presidential elections 2.~30%-40% midterm congressional 3.Decline in voter turnout since 1960 1.Rose slightly in 2008 (NEXT SLIDE) 4.Industrialized Nations in West=higher 1.US-no penalties (fines) 2.Lack of multi-party systems 3.No automatic/same day registration

6. Voter Turnout: 1966-2008 Identify 2 trends in graph regarding voter turnout

7. To Do: Low Voter Turnout Institutional Barriers: w/n the system Registration ? Political Barriers: extras outside of the system Don’t like either candidate ?

8. Reasons for low turnout: Institutional Barriers?? 1.Registration: ease/eliminate~8%-10% to turnout-THEREFORE… National Voter Registration Act 1993: 1.Register when renewing license or car 2.Various public offices-register forms 3.Register by mail Has not lead to a huge increase!!!

9. Institutional Barriers cont… 4.Long Ballot: 5.Difficulties in obtaining absentee ballots-I am here for you 5.Too many elections-”ballot fatigue” 6.Young people -lowest turnout-politicians ignore

10. Political Barriers/Reasons for Low Voter Turnout 1.Lack of Political Efficacy (efficiency VOCAB) 2.Dissatisfaction with candidates, parties, and politics in general 3.Lack of strong 2-party competition 4.Weakness of parties in mobilizing voters (Not presidential) Possible Solutions to Increasing turnout

11. Who Votes? Who doesn’t? Who cares?

12. Does low turnout matter?? 1.Problem=(In all but Pres elections) 1.Older whites+ 2.Higher levels of income+ 3.Educational achievement 4.  over represented  Class Bias

13. Other forms of participation 1.Petitions 2.Demonstrations/marches/rallies 3.Local party meetings 4.Making campaign contributions 5.Writing letters to the editor 6.Trying to persuade others Remember…every Voice matters! http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=sRqLRLI0q4g (chart #3)

15. Millenials Forty-four million strong, you are the largest generation in history AND Represent more than one-fifth of the electorate. You are also the most diverse generation. Sixty-one percent of Millennials identify as White, while 17% are Hispanic, 15% are Black and 4% are Asian.

16. 1. How will politicians have to adapt over the next few elections in order to win the vote of the millenials? 2. How will the political arena change over the next 10 years as millenials enter the work force and become a more involved in politics? 3. Do you agree/disagree with the way millenials are discussed in this video? Millenials http://www.cbsnews.com/video/watch/?id=4126233n