Political Participation in the United States: Voter Turnout

1. Consider: What are the qualities that make a person MORE LIKELY to vote? Political Participation in the United States: Voter Turnout Chapter 6: Wilson AP Government and Politics

2. Voting and Federalism • The Constitution: • Fed not responsible for elections… • Just establish date and ensure House members popularly elected • But this leaves a lot open; statewide, staggered terms, etc. • States could determine who was eligible to vote • What problem arose under this system?

3. Amendments “Nationalizing” the Right to Vote • The 15th - Guaranteed the right to vote to “all persons” • Supreme Court – “Vote could be denied, but denial can’t be based on race”… • What did some state governments do in order to disenfranchise African-Americans after its passage? • Not until passage of the Voting Rights Act of 1965 does African-American participation in elections become widespread and fair • The 19th - Gave all women the right to vote • Prior to this, some states had extended the right to vote to women. • Did dramatic change result from the influx of women voters into the electorate? • Why not? • The 26th - Extended the right to vote to 18 year-olds. • Was their impact dramatic?

4. Voter Turnout • Reasons for decline after 1890 • Decline in interest, weakening parties • Voter fraud before Australian ballot • How do voter registration procedures impact turnout? • Measuring voter turnout • VAP – all persons old enough • VEP – of those persons, only those actually eligible

6. Voter turnout by age

7. Voting in Presidential Elections

9. Enthusiasm for Voting?

10. Reasons for higher voter turnout (for a midterm) in 2010 • “It’s the economy, stupid.” • Voters concern with issues, including jobs and debt

11. Reasons for high voter turnout in 2012 • Referendum on Obama’s first term • Republican motives • Potential for Palin, Bachman

12. What personal characteristics make a person more likely to vote and/or participate? • Factors – • education • churchgoing • age • income • sex • race

13. Voter Perspective 1 John is 46 year-old white male. He is an electrician who makes $85,000 a year, and has been a member of the Electrical Workers Union for approximately 20 years. He is very religious, attending a Lutheran church each week. He has been divorced for about 5 years, and has 3 children. He gets most of his news from newspapers and occasionally from NBC or CNN.

14. Voter Perspective 2 Maria is a Latino mother of 2 who just turned 35. She is a lawyer for a large law firm, and makes about $120,000 per year. She is a member of the Pennsylvania Bar Association, a devout Catholic, and has been married for 5 years. She uses the Internet for her news, pays close attention to several blogs, and occasionally responds herself to the postings she reads.

15. Voter Perspective 3 Eric is a black male, and a recent college graduate from Penn State in the area of business administration. He is 24, single, and just moved to New York City. He is not religious, and spends a good deal of his free time following sports and spending time out and about in New York City.

16. Voter Perspective 4 Sophia is a 73 year-old white female, and a grandmother of 6. She is retired from a lifetime as a public school teacher, and receives both a pension and social security. She and her husband live in a retirement community in Vermont, and attend their Methodist church every Sunday. She listens to NPR and watches PBS in order to stay current with the news.