Suffrage – right (franchise) to vote - won in 5 stages.
- Extension of existing rights in the 1800s - religion, tax payers, property qualifications eliminated
- Broadened – 1870 – Black Americans gain right – 15 th Amendment
- Broadened - 1920 – Women gain right – 19 th Amendment
- Secured – 1965 – Although gained, the right for blacks still denied in many places, until Voting Rights Act.
- Broadened – 26 th Amendment allows 18 yr olds to vote.

 Reason why so many had been disenfranchised in the past.
 Amendments removed the restrictions to bring the right to vote to so many more Americans.
 As late as 1975, states still tried to restrict the vote, but were stopped by the Supreme Court

National reasonable requirements still exist
 Citizenship – Most states require it (but could waive!)
 Residence – Designated time legally living in state
- Prevents voters from coming for one election candidate
- Assures time for familiarity with issues
- 30 days has become the standard
 Registration – to prevent fraud (voting twice)
- Purging – cleaning up voter lists
- Poll Books – list signatures which voters sign to match when voting

 Motor Voter Law – License renewals help clean lists
 Questionnaires – Every 4 years to update lists for deaths and changes of residence.
 New registrants – 20 or 30 days before Election Day

 Literacy – Can vote even if can’t read & write
Congress eliminated the requirement in 1970.
 Poll Tax – “Pay to Play” – Eliminated in 1964 under the 24 th Amendment.
 Only mentally ill, convicted felons and in some states dishonorably discharged vets cannot vote.

 Gerrymandering – redrawing district voting lines
Strengthens (or weaken) a party’s ability to elect candidates.
 Preclearance – Justice Department must approve all new laws on voting or elections.
Prevents weakening of laws that have enfranchised the nation’s minorities

 The most forceful law ever enacted to protect the voting rights of all Americans.
 Eliminated remaining efforts in the south to keep black Americans from voting.
 Amended 4 times to extend protections until 2007.
 Pres. Bush signed 25 year reauthorization on 7/27/07.

Why People Don’t Vote
 Cannot vote – Of the 100 million + non-voters in 2000…-
10 million resident aliens
- 5-6 million were ill
- 2-3 million were travelling unexpectedly
- 2 million prisoners
 Did Not Vote – 80 Million people – chose not to
- religious beliefs (??)
- makes no difference; don’t care
- distrust politicians
No Political Efficacy – feel their vote doesn’t matter

Current information on the nature of voters is as follows
Voters Non-Voters
Higher income, education, occupation level
Well established in a community, home owners or urbanites
Strong party identification – contact with party
Live where laws and customs promote voting
Older than 35, married, established in life
Male (Changing)
Lower income, education level, unskilled jobs
More often rural residents, rather than urban or suburbanites
Less contact with party organizers
Live where less enthusiastic law enforcement
Younger, transient, becoming established
Women (Changing)

 Election Results – Which candidate carried which states, counties and regions – from voter registration
 Polling Organizations – Roper, Gallup, Quinnipiac and the Center for Political Studies, U of Michigan
 Studies of Political Socialization – how people come to believe what they believe about politics – parents and teachers.

Republicans Democrats
College graduates
Protestants
Professional, Business Executives
Men
Older voters
Caucasians
Rural American, Suburbs
Conservatives
High School Only, GED or elementary only
Catholics, Jews
Union Members
Women (Changes as more career oriented)
Younger voters
Minorities (Changing)
Cities, College Towns
Liberals