THE POLITICS OF VOTING
CHEVALIER
Winter 2014
THE RIGHT TO VOTE
• SUFFRAGE OR FRANCHISE IS A SYNONYM FOR
VOTING AND VOTING RIGHTS
• The electorate in the USA is approximately
216,150,000
• This leaves 30% of Americans who can’t vote
5 STAGES OF EXTENDING SUFFRAGE
• 1. early 1800’s- land requirements were
abandoned, religious requirement abolished,
by the mid 1800’s all WHITE men could vote
• 2. 15th amendment in 1870 gave all men the
ability to vote regardless of color
5 Stages of Extending Suffrage
• 3. 19th amendment- gave all people (of voting
age) right to vote regardless of sex
• 4. 24th amendments ended poll taxes
• 5. 26th amendment gave 18 year olds the right
vote (1971)
QUALIFICATIONS TO VOTE
• 1. CITIZENSHIP
• 2. RESIDENCE
• 3. REGISTRATION
• 4. AGE
VOTER BEHAVIOR- WHY PEOPLE
DON’T VOTE
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“IDIOT”
Voter apathy, ballot fatigue, and time zone fallout
Illegal aliens
Handicapped (6 million)
Traveling
Mentally ill (500,000)
Jail/religion
Political efficacy- believing in influence
VOTER BEHAVIOR- WHY DO WE VOTE
THE WAY WE DO?
• Political Socialization- the process by which
people gain their political attitudes and
opinions.
• So, what affects it:
Voter Behavior
• A voter’s personal characteristics:
– Age
– Race
– Income
– Occupation
– Gender
– Education
– religion
HOW DIFFERENT GROUPS TEND TO
VOTE
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Catholics and Jews- democratic
Protestants- republican
African Americans- democratic
Latinos- democratic
Cuban Americans- republican
Mexican Americans- democratic
OTHER FACTORS
• Geographical factors
• Psychological factors (perception of politics to
each voter)
– Party identification
– Straight-ticket voting
– Split-ticket voting
– independents
THE SPECTRUM OF POLITICAL
IDEOLOGIES IN AMERICA
• Pure liberals (left)
• Populists- Constitutional governance, liberty,
anti-militarism, bill of rights, de-centralization
of power
• Libertarians- free-market economy, civil
liberties and personal freedom, nonintervention, peace, and free trade
• Pure Conservatives (right)