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Locked Out? How the United States Limits Voter Participation

Locked Out? How the United States Limits Voter Participation. Bill Winders School of History, Technology, & Society Georgia Tech. Voting in a Democracy. dēmos (people) + kratos (rule) Voter turnout and the health of a democracy. Voting in Our Democracy.

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Locked Out? How the United States Limits Voter Participation

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  1. Locked Out?How the United States Limits Voter Participation Bill Winders School of History, Technology, & Society Georgia Tech

  2. Voting in a Democracy • dēmos (people) + kratos (rule) • Voter turnout and the health of a democracy

  3. Voting in Our Democracy • How many people voted in the 2004 presidential election?

  4. Voting in Our Democracy • At other levels of government, voter participation becomes even lower. • Off-year congressional elections: • 2006: 37% (Georgia = 31%) • 2002: 37% • 1998: 36% (Georgia = 31%) • 1994: 39% • More young voters in 2006 – How many? • 24% of voters under the age of 30.

  5. Why don’t Americans vote?

  6. Explaining Turnout in the US • 1. Individual Characteristics • Attributes of voters vs. non-voters • 2. Political Institutions • The “shape” of political institutions. • Rules about voting, parties, representation, etc.

  7. US Voter Turnout in Historical Perspective

  8. Table 1. Average Turnout in Twenty-One Democracies, 1990-2000

  9. Election Rules and Voter Turnout: in History • Between 1896 and 1924, turnout fell dramatically. • Rule changes: • Literacy tests, poll taxes, waiting periods, • *Personal registration system

  10. Election Rules and Voter Turnout: Today • Election Day Registration (EDR) • 6 states in 2004. • Turnout in EDR states average about 14 percentage points higher than other states.

  11. Election Rules and Voter Turnout: Today • Georgia: Multiple Primaries • Presidential Primary (Feb. 5): 28% • General Primary (July 15): 12% • Barriers to Voting: • Registration System, Numerous elections, Voter ID, felon disenfranchisement, etc.

  12. Locked Out? Voting in a Democracy • Whose voices are excluded from our democratic process? • What does low voter turnout say about the “health” of our democracy? • What does it say about the attitudes most people have toward the two major parties?

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