Voters
Qualifications and Behaviors
Big Idea
While all states have requirements for voting, most
of those used to disenfranchise certain groups
have been eliminated over time
Many factors influence the Americans who do
vote
Voter Qualifications
All States
State citizenship
State Residence
Age
Voter Registration
Mental Competency
Criminal Record
Some States
Suffrage
What does this mean?
Who has the power?
• The power to decide voter suffrage lies with the
states.
• ALL state requires:
• Citizenship
• Residency
• Age
Reserved Power
State Citizenship
• You must be a citizen of the US
• Aliens:
#1 (write
thisnot
down)
• foreignOpinion
born residents
who are
citizens
• They can’t vote
Do you
think legal nothing
aliens should
be allowed
tothey
• HOWEVER,
in the Constitution
says
vote? AND
can’twhat
vote about illegal aliens?
• State could allow Legal Aliens the right to vote
• it has happened
State Residency
• Must be a legal resident of the state
• Most states:
• person must be able to prove they live in the state
• used to be states set a period of time someon had to
live in the state to qualify
• 1 year for state elections
• Today congress has banned anything longer than 30
days
Age
26
• We know that ______ Amendment sets the voting age as nothing more
than 18.
Opinion
#2 to
• States could make it lower
if they wanted
• Before it was 21
• “Old
fight.should
Old enough
to vote”
Do
youenough
thinktowe
allow
people under the age
• Vietnam
18 should
be allowed to vote?
of
Other Qualifications
• Voter Registration
• In Virginia: You must register to vote at least 29 days
Opinion #3
before the primary or general election
• Mental Do
Competency
you believe we should
• In Virginia:
can’t vote
you are
deny you
criminals
theifright
toconvicted of a
felonyvote? what about when they
• Criminal
areRecord
no longer in jail?
• In Virginia: you can’t vote if you are declared mentally
insane in a court of law
Used to be Qualifications
• Literacy
• ability to read and write (comprehend)
• to insure people could cast an informed ballot
• BUT also used
discourage certain groups
Can’ttoVote
• Tax Payment
• prove that you pay property tax
• Poll tax: special tax to vote
Influencing Voter Behavior
Sociological Factors
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Income
Occupation
Education
Gender
Age
Religion
Ethnicity
Region of residence
Family
Psychological Factors
● Party identification
● Perception of
candidates
● Perception of Issues