Voting in the United States

1. Voting in the United States

2. The American Electorate • Over 230 million people eligible to vote • Not always that easy: • Religious Qualifications (1810) • Property Ownership • Tax Payment Qualifications • Race Restrictions • Gender Restrictions • Location Restrictions • Financial Restrictions • Age Restrictions

3. Who Sets Suffrage Qualifications? • The States….sort of • No Constitutional authority, except: • Article I Section 2 Clause 1 (Vote for Reps) • Article II Section 1 Clause 2 (Electors) • And now… • 15th Amendment • 19th Amendment • 24th Amendment • 26th Amendment • Even the 14th Amendment – Hill v. Stone

4. Not everyone supported equal suffrage for all!

5. So…Who Can Vote Now? • Universal Requirements: • Citizenship • No Aliens • Residence • Legal resident of the State in which you vote • Length of residency restrictions • Voting Rights Act of 1970 • 30 days max restriction for Presidential elections • Just say NO…..to transients • Age • 26th Amendment (1971) • Registration • All states except N. Dakota • Purging

6. Who Cannot Vote in the U.S.? • Depends on State law, but generally: • No Felons • No person committed to mental institution • No person convicted of election fraud • No veterans dishonorably discharged

7. Registering to Vote • Registration is NOT mandatory • Only democratic country in the world • Registration mandatory in Europe • “Motor Voter” Act of 1993 • Register when renew driver’s license • Register by mail • Get forms at government agencies • Form sent every 4 years to “purge” lists • Crawford. v. Marion County Election Board • Is requiring photo ID legal? 6-3 says YES!!

8. U.S. Voting, a History of Discrimination • Literacy Tests • Must prove ability to read/write to vote • “Understanding Clause” • Grandfather Clauses • Legal until 1970!!! • Tax Payment (Poll Taxes) • 24th Amendment (1964) • “Legal” until 1966 • Harper v. Virginia Board of Elections (1966) • Extended prohibition of poll taxes to states • Affluence has nothing to do with voting • 6-3 Supreme Court Decision

10. What About Ohio? • Must complete Voter Registration at least 30 days prior to an election. • Be a citizen of the United States. • Be a resident at least 30 days before election. • Be at least 18 years old by the day of the election. • Not be serving time for a felony conviction. • Not be declared incompetent by a court of law. • Convicted of violating election law. • Not be dishonorably discharged from the military. • Must provide legal form of identification.

11. Legal Forms of Identification • Government issued ID card • Military issued ID card • Current Utility Bill • Current Bank Statement • Current Government issued check • Current Paycheck • Government document with name & address • Provisional Ballots Current as of 11/04/2012

13. Congressman Tim Ryan (D) 13th Congressional District The 13th District

15. Are YOU an Idiot? Idiot: n. from Greek idiotes Those who do not vote or otherwise take part in public life

16. 2008 Election • 227.8 Million Voters • 127 Million ballots cast for President (61%) • 114 Million ballots cast for Congress (50%) • “nonvoting voters” • Ballot Fatigue • General elections fare better than primaries

17. Why Do People Not Vote? • Time Factor? • “Cannot Voters” • 10 Million Resident Aliens • 5-6 Million sick or disabled • 2-3 Million traveling • 500K in mental institutions • 2 Million incarcerated • 100K refuse on religious grounds “idolatry” • Discriminatory Practices

18. Actual Nonvoters • 80 Million chose not to vote in 2008 • “My vote doesn’t matter” • Political efficacy (political “worth”)–no feeling of influence • Disenfranchised vs. “Life will go on” • Distrust of “the system” • Complicated ballots, long-lines, bad weather • “Time-Zone Fallout” • Lack of interest – Voter Apathy

22. Voters Non-Voters 35 or younger Unmarried Unskilled Live in the South Rural areas Men less likely to vote • Higher income levels • Higher education levels • Higher occupational status • Well-integrated in society • Long-time residents • Strong party identification • Believe voting is important

23. Voter Behavior - Sociological Factors • Income & Occupation • Lower income brackets vote Democratic • 2008 was unusual exception • Blue collar vs. White collar • Education • More education tends towards Republican • 2008 was unusual exception • Gender • Women tend to vote Democratic

26. Sociological Factors (Cont.) • Religion • Protestants tend to favor Republican • Catholics & Jews seem to lean Democratic • Obama won 78% of Jewish vote & 54% of Catholic • Church attendance • 55% of regular church-goers voted for McCain • Ethnicity • Blacks vote overwhelmingly Democratic • 95% of all voting blacks voted for Obama in 2008 • Latinos tend to vote Democratic • Cuban Americans tend to vote republican

27. Sociological Factors (Cont.) • Geography • The South • New England • Urban vs. Suburban • Family, Friends, and Co-Workers • 9 out of 10 married couples share party beliefs • 2 out of 3 voters follow their parents views • Group associations seem to reinforce political ideals

28. Psychological Factors • Party Identification • Most people choose a party and stay for life • Straight-ticket voting • Recent elections show declining party influence • Split-ticket voting • Rise in declared “independent” voters • 25-30% of the electorate claims independent status • Most will vote for one of the major parties • Candidate Identification & Issues • Can sometimes outweigh party loyalty