1. Voting 11/2/2011

2. Clearly Communicated Learning Objectives in Written Form Upon completion of this course, students will be able to: – discuss and critically analyze political events in the United States government – understand and interpret the United States Constitution and apply it to present policy dilemmas. – assess the 2010 and 2012 elections without resorting to partisan bickering.

3. Office Hours and Readings Chapter 5 Chapter 4 (110-129) Office Hours – Thursday 8-10 – Monday 8-10:30

4. "The most accurate form of public opinion polling is the vote." Walter Dean Burnham

5. VOTING IN THE CONSTITUTION It Says Very Little

6. What The Constitution Says Article I Section 2 Article I Section 4

7. Civil War Amendments 14 th - Male and 21 for federal elections 15 th - Cannot Deny on the condition of race or previous servitude

8. 17 th Amendment (1913) Senators will be elected by the people This Ends appointment by state legislature

9. 19 th Amendment Wyoming is the first state to grant women’s suffrage states cannot deny the right to vote on account of sex

10. Recent Expansions 23 rd Amendment 26 th Amendment Expanding to win

11. The Role of the States States still can control who votes as long as they do not violate the federal law Restrictions TodayToday

12. WHO VOTES Three Big Things

13. Factor 1: Age

14. Age and Voting Older People vote more Why Curvilinear relationship!

15. Factor 2: Education

16. Education and Voting This is a linear relationship Why do better educated people vote more?

17. Other Effects of Education

18. Education and Age in 2008

19. Factor 3: Income

20. Income and Voting Wealthy people vote at higher Rates Related to education Lower Information Costs

21. Other Factors Partisanship Previous Voting History

22. WHY YOUNG PEOPLE DO NOT VOTE

23. Registration

24. Why Young People Don’t Vote Are Unfamiliar with the system- Are one step above Gypsies Have less formal and political education

25. Low Social Capital Writings of Robert Putnam Are not connected to the community As a Result, have low interest in politics

26. TURNOUT IN RECENT ELECTIONS High and low stimulus elections: The Saw-tooth Pattern

27. Presidential elections Why Higher What is the Result- the exciting saw-tooth pattern

29. Turnout in 2004 Higher than 2000, which was supposed to favor Democrats Why Higher Turnout Who it helped?

30. Voter Turnout in 2008 130 Million voted, 61% which was the highest rate since 1968 Where was turnout up? – Best States – Worst States

31. People expected more Voters in 2008 Only slightly higher than 2004 18-29 year olds did not increase greatly Why No increase?

32. Turnout in 2010 Very Similar to 2006 A Smaller Electorate than 2008 42% overall

33. Midyear Tends to be boring

34. Low Motivation from The Left Every Democratic Group claimed responsibility for President Obama’s Victory Supporters wanted immediate policy change on their issue

35. Who Voted GOP was more energized More conservative Older Whiter

36. Groups most likely to vote Democratic stayed at home, and enabled the GOP to win at all levels