Voters and Voter Behavior The Right to Vote. Voting Qualifications States must allow all people to vote who meet the minimum requirements set by the federal

Voters and Voters and Voter BehaviorVoter Behavior

The Right to VoteThe Right to Vote

Voting QualificationsVoting Qualifications

States must allow all people to States must allow all people to vote who meet the minimum vote who meet the minimum requirements set by the federal requirements set by the federal government.government.


Citizenship – USCitizenship – US

Residence - of the state in Residence - of the state in state/local electionsstate/local elections

Age – 18 and olderAge – 18 and older


Every state except North Dakota Every state except North Dakota requires voters to register.requires voters to register.

Registration forms are on the Registration forms are on the internetinternet

In Florida, 17 year olds can In Florida, 17 year olds can register and vote after their 18register and vote after their 18thth birthdaybirthday


If a person does not vote for If a person does not vote for several elections, the rolls are several elections, the rolls are purged and the person’s name is purged and the person’s name is removed.removed.

Who Do You Vote For?Who Do You Vote For?

Once a person is registered they Once a person is registered they can vote in federal, state and can vote in federal, state and local electionslocal elections

There are many ways to get There are many ways to get information about the people information about the people running for office and new laws running for office and new laws being voted for.being voted for.

Who Do You Vote For?Who Do You Vote For?

Most people get their knowledge Most people get their knowledge from TVfrom TV

TV ads are bought by the TV ads are bought by the candidate or the group favoring candidate or the group favoring a particular person or cause.a particular person or cause.

They only tell the positive side They only tell the positive side of their side and the negative of their side and the negative side of the oppositionside of the opposition

VotersVoters

A typical voter:A typical voter: Higher incomeHigher income Higher educationHigher education Better occupational statusBetter occupational status Long time residentsLong time residents Party identificationParty identification femalefemale

Non-VotersNon-Voters

A typical non-voter:A typical non-voter: Younger than 35Younger than 35 UnmarriedUnmarried UnskilledUnskilled Lives in south/rural areaLives in south/rural area malemale

How People VoteHow People Vote

It is easier to determine how some It is easier to determine how some groups of people will votegroups of people will vote

Polls also use research to Polls also use research to determine election winnersdetermine election winners

All polls showed that the 2004 All polls showed that the 2004 election would be decided by less election would be decided by less than 2% of the vote. They were than 2% of the vote. They were right.right.


Psychological factors that can Psychological factors that can determine who a person votes for determine who a person votes for include:include: Voter’s characteristics – age, Voter’s characteristics – age,

sex, education, religion, incomesex, education, religion, income Voter’s affiliations – work, Voter’s affiliations – work,

friends, familiesfriends, families


Sociological factors that can Sociological factors that can determine who a person votes for determine who a person votes for include:include: Income – lower incomes tend to Income – lower incomes tend to

vote Dem; higher=Repvote Dem; higher=Rep Education – lower education Education – lower education

tend to vote Dem; higher=Reptend to vote Dem; higher=Rep


Sociological factors that can Sociological factors that can determine who a person votes for determine who a person votes for include:include: Age and gender – younger Age and gender – younger

women tend to vote Dem; older women tend to vote Dem; older males=Repmales=Rep

Religion – Catholics and Jews Religion – Catholics and Jews tend to vote Dem; Prot=Reptend to vote Dem; Prot=Rep


Sociological factors that can Sociological factors that can determine who a person votes for determine who a person votes for include:include: Race – Non-whites tend to vote Race – Non-whites tend to vote

Dem; white = RepDem; white = Rep Region – CA, NY, MA=Dem; TX, Region – CA, NY, MA=Dem; TX,

KS, ND and Bible Belt=Rep.KS, ND and Bible Belt=Rep.


These are generalizations only and These are generalizations only and different issues sway votersdifferent issues sway voters

How much a person feels loyalty How much a person feels loyalty to their party, party identification, to their party, party identification, is a good predictor of how a is a good predictor of how a person will vote.person will vote.


Some people vote for their party, Some people vote for their party, regardless of the person running regardless of the person running for office.for office.

Straight-ticket voting relates to Straight-ticket voting relates to party affiliation.party affiliation.


Some people, split-ticket voters, Some people, split-ticket voters, vote for candidates, regardless of vote for candidates, regardless of political partypolitical party

This practice has become more This practice has become more common since the 1960s.common since the 1960s.

Independent voters are likely to Independent voters are likely to do this since they do not belong to do this since they do not belong to a partya party


In the past, independent voters In the past, independent voters were generally less informed were generally less informed about the candidates or issues.about the candidates or issues.

This is not true with new This is not true with new independent voters who tend to be independent voters who tend to be better educated and have higher better educated and have higher incomesincomes

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Voters and Voter Behavior The Right to Vote. Voting Qualifications States must allow all people to vote who meet the minimum requirements set by the federal