1. Why People vote Suffering through Suffrage

2. Clearly Communicated Learning Objectives Analyze the theories of why people vote and apply them to the 2008 and 2010 Election. Identify and describe the formal and informal institutions involved in the electoral process

3. What is suffrage? The Right To Vote Why we have expanded suffrage historically – For Good – For Gain!

4. SOME NATIONS LOVE TO VOTE Voting in a Comparative Perspective

6. Why so high elsewhere? Compulsory voting Fewer Elections PR systems and MMD

7. Why Turnout Should Be High in the USA Easier To Register Enfranchisement of the South A National two-party system A better-educated population

8. Despite this, fewer Americans Vote! We call the Paradox of Participation

9. Some Say Many of Actually Do Vote Voting Age Population- those who voted/those who are 18- we have too much Democracy! Voting eligible population- those who voted/those who registered There is a differencedifference

12. Who votes in America?

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

14. Education and Voting This is a linear relationship Why do better educated people vote more The lack of political skills

15. Education and Age in 2008

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

17. Campaign Interest Linked to Education

18. Partisanship Strong Partisans more than independents

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

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

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

22. NON VOTING

23. Why Americans Don’t Vote Institutional Factors Demographic Factors Behavioral Factors

24. Why People Don’t Vote: Institutions

25. Registration Registration is a large restriction on voting States control this power States Once you register, you are more likely to vote

26. Other Institutional Barriers Restrictions on suffrage Electoral Competition

28. Why People Don’t Vote Demographics

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

30. Classic Demographics Race Gender Region

32. Low Turnout Because of Behavioral Factors

33. Low Social Capital Writings of Robert Putnam We are not connected to the community As a Result, we don’t participate in politics

34. Low turnout because of partisanship Fewer People Identify with one of the parties Increasingly difficult to target voters Partisan districts depress turnout

35. HIGH AND LOW STIMULUS ELECTIONS The Saw-tooth Pattern

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

38. Midyear Tends to be boring