VOTING

TAT I A N A C A R D O S O

N I C O L E C A B R E R A

S T E P H A N I E E S P I N O S A

A D R I A N A G U T I E R R E Z

R O B E RT P R I E T O

J O N AT H O N W A R R I N G

P.3

VOTING• Voting is a constitutional right

• Eligible people may vote for president, V.P, senators, representative, governor, state legislature, and local officials,

• A representative democracy is a form of government in which individuals elect officials to govern the country on their behalf Some situations where the people can vote

directly on proposed laws.

INITIATIVE AND REFERENDUM

Initiative and referenda allows citizens to circulate petitions and put proposed laws on the ballot

An initiative is a procedure that enables a specific number of voters to propose a law by petition. The proposed law is then submitted to either the electorate or the legislature for approval.

A referenda occurs when a legislative act is referred to voters for final approval or rejection.

Many states also permit recall elections allows voters to remove elected officials from

office

VOTERS

• Some believe that allowing voters to express their thoughts directly through initiative instead of indirectly through representative is a more democratic system of voting• United States is technically a republic, not a pure democracy

• Some forms of direct voting exist in 24 states• In 1897, South Dakota became the first state to adopt

statewide initiative and popular referendum

• Through the initiative process many laws have been processed the right to vote for women the eight-hour workday for government employees term limit for elected officials campaign finance reform environmental protection

WHO CAN VOTE?

Voter eligibility:U.S Citizen by birth or naturalizationAt least 18 years old by date of electionResident of community in which you register

How to register to vote: Complete an application in person or by mail National Voter Registration Act (Motor Voter

Act) Makes registration forms available at motor vehicle

departments, numerous state offices, welfare offices, and agencies that serve the disabled

WHO CAN VOTE?

• Fair election requires that voters have access to information about candidates, issues and details of voting information

• Many organizations provide election information on the internet

League of Women Voters (www.lwv.org)DemocracyNet (www.dnet.org)

VOTING IN THE PAST

• Before 1965 some states had literacy tests and character test that kept several people from voting.

• African Americans received the right to vote in 1870 with the 15th amendment

• Women received the right to vote in 1920 (19th amendment)

• In 1971 the 26th amendment gave 18 year olds the right to vote

VOTING TODAY

• One convicted with a serious crime usually loses their right to vote

May regain the right to vote 5 years after their sentence

• According to the Federal Election Commission 76% of the voting age population was registered to vote in 2000 & 675 of those who were registered actually voted in the presidential election

• During the past few decades turnout in national election has fallen from 62% in the 1964 presidential election to 51% in 2000

• Turnout for non-presidential election is even lower

PROBLEM 3.3

(a) Make two lists: one of all the reasons for voting and another of all the reasons for not voting.

Reasons for voting:• You can’t complain if you

don’t• You know well who is

representing you• You are aware of the

issue’s your country faces• Good citizen

(responsibility)

Reasons not to vote:• You don’t like either of the

candidates• You’re not informed• You’re not a citizen

(b) What are some requirements to be able to vote? Who can vote this year? Are you well informed?

• U.S Citizen by birth or naturalization• At least 18 years old by date of election• Resident of community in which you register

(c) The following proposals have been made to encourage more people to vote. Do you favor or oppose each proposal? Explain your answers.• Levying a $20 fine on a person who is eligible to vote but

does not do so and has no good excuse.• Allowing people to register and vote on the same day• Lowering the voting age to 16 so students in high school

can vote• Keeping the polls open for a week instead of a day• Holding all elections on weekends• Reducing peoples taxes by $10 each if they vote• Allowing people to vote not just for representatives, but

directly for or against issues on the ballot that they care about

• Prohibiting the media from reporting results or projections onto all polls are closed

• Automatically registering everyone with a driver’s license

PROBLEM 3.4a) What voting trends do you notice when you compare voter turnout in the years when there was no presidential election?

The number of voters is lower(decrease)

(b) What voting trends do you notice overtime when you look at the voter turnout in presidential elections?

The number quickly escalates

(d) What conclusion can you draw from your analysis of this information?

(c) Have registration figure, as percentage of the voting age population, changed from 1976 to 200? If so, how?

Yes, the percentage of the voting population registration decreased by approximately 2.3 percent.

More people will turn up for presidential elections compared to non presidential elections.

THE END!