Political Participation

Chapter 8

Voting• The most common form of political

participation is voting.• Rates of political participation tend to be

higher among those who are employed, have gone to college, white, are black as opposed to being Hispanic

• Australian ballot:– Printed by the government– Cast in secret– Appeared first in the states– Appeared in the late 1800s

Voter Turnout

VAP vs. VEP• Voting-Age Population: All U.S. residents age 18 or

older. Many in this group are not legally eligible.– Noncitizens– Convicted felons

• Voting-Eligible Population: includes 18 or older: Excludes U.S. residents that are not legally permitted to cast a ballot.

• VEP is more preferable to VAP– Think of difference of eligible vs age

Reasons for Not Voting• ¼ too busy, scheduling conflicts #1 reason• Family obligations• Believe vote would not matter• Proposals to solve the problem:

Election Day a national holidayHolding elections on the weekendsMail in ballotsGet out the Vote drives

Voting Rights• Suffrage-the right to vote

• Article I, Section 2- elected House members• Most states established tax paying or property

• Changes– Universal suffrage to working class white males = Pres. Jackson

• 15th amendment– literacy tests– poll taxes– Grandfather clause– white primary

• Smith v. Allwright (1944)• 19th amendment

– 1920 women get right to vote• 23rd amendment

– Voters in Washington, D.C. vote in presidential elections• 24th amendment (1964)

– Harper v. Virginia State Board of Elections (1966)– 26th Amendment (1971)

– Minimum age for voting is 18• Voting Rights Act 1965

• Shelby County v. Holder (2013)• http://www.oyez.org/cases/2010-2019/2012/2012_12_96

Voter Registration

• The original purpose of voter registration was to prevent voter fraud.

• In the U.S. was a device to discourage some groups from voting.

• Motor Voter Law:– Passed in 1993– Made it easier for citizens to register to vote.– Linked to vehicle registration process and driver’s licenses– Number of registrants has increased somewhat, but has

not increased significantly

Figure 8.3 Voter Turnout in Presidential Elections

Copyright © 2013 Cengage

Source: Adapted from U.S. Bureau of the Census, Current Population Reports, June and November 2008.