Amendments & Legislation
Legal protections found in federal legislation and the Fifteenth, Seventeenth, Nineteenth, Twenty-Fourth, and Twenty-Sixth Amendments relate to the expansion of opportunities for political participation.
Voting Models
Issues
•i.e. economy - can be good or bad
•War is traditionally a RALLY POINT
Rational-choice voting: Voting based on what is perceived to be in the citizen’s individual interest
Retrospective voting: Voting to decide whether the party or candidate in power should be re-elected based on the recent past
Prospective voting: Voting based on predictions of how a party or candidate will perform in the future
•i.e. economy - can be good or bad
•War is traditionally a RALLY POINT
Rational-choice voting: Voting based on what is perceived to be in the citizen’s individual interest
Retrospective voting: Voting to decide whether the party or candidate in power should be re-elected based on the recent past
Prospective voting: Voting based on predictions of how a party or candidate will perform in the future
Who Votes and How
More people vote in presidential than midterm elections
More likely to vote:
Wealthy, Older, Better Educated, Women tend to vote more often, whites tend to vote more than minorities
- More people vote in federal elections than state only elections
- The less wide reaching, the less people vote (more vote for federal, then state, the local elections)
- More people vote in general than primary election
More likely to vote:
Wealthy, Older, Better Educated, Women tend to vote more often, whites tend to vote more than minorities
Gender Gap:
Women are more likely to vote Democratic, especially if single –
•More liberal on issues such as military, capital punishment, gun control, social programs such as Social Security, education funding, and environmental issues
•Men are more likely to vote Republican
•Sex-sensitive issues (e.g., abortion, pornography, gun control, war) provoke different views among the sexes
•GENDER GAP – In voting refers to the difference in the percentage of women and the percentage of men voting for a given candidate
Women are more likely to vote Democratic, especially if single –
•More liberal on issues such as military, capital punishment, gun control, social programs such as Social Security, education funding, and environmental issues
•Men are more likely to vote Republican
•Sex-sensitive issues (e.g., abortion, pornography, gun control, war) provoke different views among the sexes
•GENDER GAP – In voting refers to the difference in the percentage of women and the percentage of men voting for a given candidate
Geography:
•South: Increasingly Rep (b/c of Civil Rights Acts in 60s)
•Great Plains: Rep
•Rocky Mountain: Rep (CO swinging Dem)
•New England: Dem
•West Coast: Dem
•Great Lakes Region: Swing
•Metropolitan/Urban Centers: Dem
•Rural Areas: Rep
•South: Increasingly Rep (b/c of Civil Rights Acts in 60s)
•Great Plains: Rep
•Rocky Mountain: Rep (CO swinging Dem)
•New England: Dem
•West Coast: Dem
•Great Lakes Region: Swing
•Metropolitan/Urban Centers: Dem
•Rural Areas: Rep
Religion:
Protestants tend to vote conservative
Catholics are traditionally liberal but are moving conservative over abortion and same sex issues
Jewish people tend to vote liberal
Protestants tend to vote conservative
Catholics are traditionally liberal but are moving conservative over abortion and same sex issues
Jewish people tend to vote liberal
Why don't People Vote?
Seriously. Why don't people vote. Institutional barriers •Registration •discourages voting & laws vary by state •closing date •Effect of “motor voter” bill? •register when applying/renewal of license •schools/libraries/city/county offices to register •mail registration •Most registered Independents •Does not appear to have increased turnout Political reasons •Lack of Political Efficacy •“Costs” of voting seem to outweigh benefits Dissatisfaction with candidates/parties/politics •Young people tend to be lowest turnout. •When the 26th Amendment was ratified, turnout “naturally” declined |