Political Participation and Voting

Electorate
- Refers to those eligible to vote, having met requirements at both federal and state levels.
- Constituents are individuals who elect their representatives, e.g., senators and government officials.
- Voting eligibility begins at age 18, marking a federal requirement.
Enfranchised vs. Disenfranchised
- Enfranchised: Individuals who have been granted the right to vote.
- Disenfranchised: Those who are not given the right to vote, which may result from either unmet requirements or legal barriers.
Suffrage
- Another term for the right to vote, crucial for discussions on political participation.

Voting is a primary method of political participation, classified as a conventional linkage institution.
- Conventional methods include letter writing, campaign contributions, and voting.
- Unconventional methods encompass protests, boycotts, and picketing to express political views.

Initially, in 1789 America, only white property-owning males could vote.
Voting eligibility has historically been controlled by state laws until federal amendments or laws were enacted to expand rights.
The expansion of voting rights is connected to core democratic values such as:
- Popular Sovereignty: The authority of the government is created and sustained by the consent of its people.
- Individualism: The rights and independence of individuals.
- Republicanism: The government is a republic elected by the people.

Fifteenth Amendment (1868): Granted African American men the right to vote.
Nineteenth Amendment (1920): Established women's right to vote.
Twenty-Sixth Amendment (1971): Lowered the voting age from 21 to 18.
These amendments illustrate the extension of voting rights to previously disenfranchised groups.

Legislative acts such as the 1964 Civil Rights Act and the Voting Rights Act of 1965 reinforced voting rights by:
- Ensuring equal voter registration rules.
- Prohibiting literacy tests.
- Introducing a preclearance process for states with discriminatory voting practices.

Key rulings have clarified and enforced amendments and laws to protect voting rights.
Historical examples include:
- Plessy vs. Ferguson (1896): Upheld segregation laws leading to Jim Crow laws, affecting voting rights.
- Striking down of the grandfather clause: Ensured that voting requirements were equitable.
- Invalidation of white primaries (1914): Eliminated exclusive voting practices that disenfranchised African Americans.

Voters assess candidates and issues, voting in a manner that benefits them most.

Strong loyalty to a party influences voting decisions rather than individual candidate merits.

Voters evaluate the performance of incumbents, making decisions based on past achievements.

Voters consider future implications of candidates' promises when making choices, particularly with new candidates.