Who Votes?

Who Votes?

• Voter turnout is the percentage of eligible individuals who vote and is a significant way people participate in government.

• Since 1976, presidential election turnout among registered voters has been around 80%, peaking at 89.8% in 2008.

• However, when compared to all age-qualified individuals, including those not registered, turnout was about 61% in 2016, with a low of 53.6% in 1996.

• Low voter turnout raises questions about whether elections truly reflect the will of the people.

• Voter turnout in the U.S. tends to be low compared to other representative democracies.

• low voter turnout was due to barriers to voting and obtaining reliable voter turnout data.

Factors Affecting Voter Turnout and Behavior

• Education is the most significant factor affecting voter turnout; more educated individuals are more likely to vote.

• Higher education often correlates with higher income and a deeper understanding of political issues.

• Other factors influencing voting behavior include individual choice, state voting laws, political efficacy, and the type of election.

• A study indicated that higher campaign negativity resulted in lower voter turnout.

• Candidate disappointment can lead voters to abstain from voting, even if they typically align with a particular party. People tend to vote along lines of party membership.

Reasons for Not Voting

• Didn't like candidate or campaign issues:

  • 2000: 8%

  • 2004: 10%

  • 2008: 13%

  • 2012: 12%

  • 2016: 25%

• Not interested, felt vote wouldn't make a difference:

  • 2000: 12%

  • 2004: 11%

  • 2008: 13%

  • 2012: 16%

  • 2016: 15%

• Too busy, schedule conflicts, or out of town:

  • 2000: 21%

  • 2004: 19%

  • 2008: 17%

  • 2012: 18%

  • 2016: 14%

• Illness or Disability: 12%

Political Efficacy

• Political efficacy, which is citizens' belief in their ability to influence the political system, affects voter turnout.

• Internal efficacy has remained stable since the 1950s, while external efficacy has declined since the 1960s and 1970s due to events like the Vietnam War and the Watergate Scandal.

Election Type and Voter Turnout

• Voter turnout is higher in general (presidential) elections compared to mid-term elections.

• State and local elections often have even lower turnout, sometimes below 5% for state governor elections.

Absentee Ballots and Early Voting

• Absentee ballots are available for those unable to attend polling stations due to illness, disability, or travel.

• States may offer early voting and voting by mail to increase voter turnout, but procedures vary.

Demographics and Voter Turnout

• Ethnicity, education level, age, and gender also significantly impact voter turnout.

• Historically, white citizens had the highest turnout rates, but rates have been nearly level with African American turnout in presidential elections from 1996-2016.

• Higher education levels correlate with increased voter turnout.

• Young voters have the lowest turnout rates, while those over 60 have the highest.

• Females have consistently had a higher turnout than males among young voters. Females overall tend to vote Democratic, whereas more males tend to vote Republican.

Registration and Polling Issues

• Registration problems, inconvenient hours or polling places, and transportation issues contribute to lower turnout.

• The majority of unregistered and registered individuals indicated they have never been asked to register (62% and 61%, respectively).

• States oversee federal elections and design election laws.

• Many states require advance voter registration, while some allow same-day registration.

• Photo ID requirements at polls are a subject of debate, with some arguing they prevent fraud and others that they disenfranchise eligible voters.

Federal Actions to Increase Voter Participation

• The National Voter Registration Act of 1993 aimed to make it easier for Americans to register to vote.

• The Supreme Court case Arizona v. Inter Tribal Council of Arizona (2013) affirmed that the National Voter Registration Act preempts other voter registration requirements.

International Comparisons

• The U.S. isn't the only democracy with varying voter turnout.

• Some nations have compulsory voting laws, incentives, penalties, or fines for not voting.

• Chile's voter turnout dropped significantly after shifting from compulsory to voluntary voting in 2012.

• Multi-party systems, common in other democracies, can affect a voter's sense of efficacy and turnout.

• American voter turnout is low compared to other democracies.

How are Voting Rights Protected?

• Voting rights, like other unprotected rights, can be taken away, as demonstrated by New Jersey's reversal on women's suffrage in the early 19th century.

• The Constitution, federal legislation, and Supreme Court decisions protect voting rights.

Constitutional Amendments Protecting Voting Rights

• 15th Amendment: Protected the right of former slaves to vote, expanding suffrage to millions of African American males 21 years of age and older.

• 17th Amendment: Changed election of U.S. senators from state legislatures to direct election by popular vote of the people in their respective states.

• 19th Amendment: Protected woman suffrage, granting women the right to vote and doubling the electorate.

• 24th Amendment: Prevented states from charging people to vote in federal elections, or requiring a poll tax.

• 26th Amendment: Lowered the voting age in federal elections from 21 to 18 years.

Legislation Protecting Voting Rights

• The 1964 Civil Rights Act required states to apply voting rules and procedures equally to all races.

• The 1965 Voting Rights Act enforced the amendments by sending federal examiners to register eligible voters, educate them, and assist them in voting safely, as well as banning literacy tests.

• South Carolina v. Katzenbach (1966) upheld the Voting Rights Act, affirming Congress's power to enforce voting rights.

• Congress has renewed the Voting Rights Act several times with amendments, including requiring states to provide ballots in other languages when requested.

• The National Voter Registration Act of 1993 increases opportunities to register to vote and creates procedures for maintaining voter registration lists.

• The Voting Accessibility for the Elderly and Handicapped Act of 1984 requires polling places to be accessible to people with disabilities.

• The Uniformed and Overseas Citizens Absentee Voting Act of 1986 allows members of the U.S. Armed Forces and overseas voters to both register and vote by mail.

What Affects How Voters Decide?

• Factors that influence voters' decisions include party identification, ideological orientation, candidate characteristics, contemporary political issues, and demographic characteristics (religious beliefs or affiliation, gender, race, and ethnicity).

• Political models that explain voting behavior include:

  • rational choice: voting based on what is perceived to be in the citizen's individual interest

  • retrospective voting: voting based on what is perceived to be in the citizen's individual interest

  • prospective voting: voting based on what candidates promise to do in the future.

  • party-line voting: supporting a party by voting for candidates from one political party for all public offices at the same level of government

• Poll data can help identify key factors and the validity of these models.