Chapter 7: Voting and Elections
Chapter 7: Voting and Elections
Introduction to Voting and Elections
Importance of understanding the electoral process in American government.
State and Local Control of Elections
General Elections: Conducted by individual states, including presidential and federal office elections.
Supervision: State offices oversee and coordinate county and municipal election offices that manage individual precincts.
Election Functions: Responsibilities include:
Overseeing voting locations
Managing early voting processes
Counting absentee ballots
Results Certification: Tabulation and certification of results occur at each level of the election process.
The Voting Rights Act of 1965
Signing: Enacted by President Lyndon B. Johnson on August 6, 1965.
Historical Context: Significant figures from the civil rights movement, such as Rosa Parks and Martin Luther King Jr., present at the signing.
Voter Registration and Moving
Moving: Requires re-registration or address updates, which can sometimes be done through Departments of Motor Vehicles (e.g., California).
State and Citizen Interests in the Electoral Process
Election Laws Purpose: To ensure integrity and fairness in elections through various measures including:
Secure voting technologies for accessibility
Privacy and accuracy of voter data
Common ballot text standards
Fraud prevention
Increased voter participation
Political Ideologies Impact: Different political parties may prioritize different aspects of these interests.
Disenfranchisement Historically
Post-Civil Rights Amendments: Many Southern states introduced barriers to voting for African-Americans, such as:
Poll taxes
Literacy tests
Grandfather clauses
Legislative Response: The Voting Rights Act of 1965 outlawed discriminatory voting practices. The Supreme Court also intervened to strike down these discriminatory laws.
Voter Registration Regulations
Constitution: Prohibits exclusion based on race, sex, or age (18 years or older).
Federal Laws: Prevent discrimination in voter registration practices.
State Variability: States determine voter registration requirements, which must comply with federal law.
Help America Vote Act (2002): Mandates states maintain accurate voter rolls and notify voters about potential purges.
Additional State Voter Registration Requirements
States may implement additional rules, like:
Restrictions on incarcerated individuals or felons
Proof of residency through valid state-issued ID
Government-issued photo ID requirements
Age or citizenship proof through government documents
Voter Registration Process
Federal Mandates: Voter registration must be available at certain government service points (e.g., driver’s license).
National Voter Registration Act (1993): Required voter registration to be included in government applications.
State Procedures: Some states allow online or mail-in registration; Oregon automatically registers eligible voters.
Voter Turnout
Calculation: Voter turnout is determined by comparing the number of ballots cast to the total potential voters.
Trends Over Time: Age groups show varied turnout; individuals 65 and older have higher turnout rates compared to younger groups.
Influences on Voter Turnout
Demographic Effect: Those aged 18-25 show the least turnout, while those aged 65-74 demonstrate the most.
Factors Influencing Youth Turnout:
Frequent relocations
Level of education
Economic impact
Family responsibilities
Political apathy
Likely Voters
Demographic Trends: Higher rates of voting are seen in persons with greater wealth, education, and older age.
Racial Differences: Caucasians report higher voting rates compared to minority groups (Asian-American, African-American, Hispanic).
Political Campaigning Dynamics: Campaigns tend to focus on likely voters who vote regularly.
Reasons for Low Voter Turnout
Commonly Cited Reasons:
Being too busy
Family or work obligations
Lack of transportation
Uncertainty about polling locations
Frustration with voting technology
Restrictive voter ID laws
Disinterest in candidates or issues
Voter fatigue
The Election Cycle
Phases of the Election Cycle for Federal Offices:
Nomination phase: parties select candidates
Primary campaigns: debates, town halls, ads
Primaries and caucuses: voters select party candidates
Conventions: formal nomination of candidates
General election campaigning
General election day in November, with early voting options
The Electoral College process: specifically for presidential elections
Primaries, Caucuses, and Conventions
Types of Primaries:
Closed: Voter registration aligns with party affiliation to participate
Open: Voters can choose which party primary to participate in
Caucus: An informal meeting format for determining voter preferences.
Conventions: Parties choose their candidates based on delegate representation.
Electoral College
Function: The Electoral College is responsible for electing the President of the United States.
Electors: Voters select electors who represent their votes for president.
Composition: 538 total electors, with a majority needing 270 to win.
Congressional Representation: Number of electors per states corresponds to their congressional representation.
Electoral College vs. Popular Vote
Discrepancies: Instances occur when the popular vote winner does not secure a majority in the Electoral College.
Historical Examples: Notable splits happened in 2000 and 2016 elections.
Faithless Electors: Rare cases where electors do not adhere to the popular vote; various states have laws to bind electors to the popular choice.
Abolishing the Electoral College
Concerns: Recent electoral splits have prompted calls for the abolishment of the Electoral College.
Constitutional Amendment Requirements: Such actions would necessitate a significant legislative hurdle. Smaller states and Republican factions likely oppose changes that would alter political power dynamics.
Campaign Finance
Oversight: The Federal Election Commission manages and regulates federal campaign donations.
Contribution Limits: Individuals and organizations face restrictions on donations.
Court Rulings: Supreme Court decisions (e.g., Citizens United) protect political contributions as political speech, allowing for the establishment of PACs and Super PACs that can command unlimited fundraising, contingent on no coordination with candidate campaigns.
Campaign Contribution Limits for 2021-2022
Individual Limits:
$2,900 per election to candidates
$10,000 to PACs
Additional limits for national party committees and other political organizations.
Direct Democracy
Definition and Mechanisms: Direct democracy enables citizens to decide on policy initiatives through popular vote with channels such as:
Ballot Initiatives: Laws or amendments proposed by citizens.
Referendums: Votes on proposals from state governments.
Recalls: Removal of officials by voters.
Voting Rights Restoration in Florida
2018 Referendum: Florida voters opted to restore voting rights to felons, but subsequent complications arose when the government added more requirements.
Conclusion
Importance of voting rights and processes in shaping the democratic framework of the United States, highlighting the continuing evolution of electoral laws and voter participation strategies.
Exam Review: Chapter 7 - Voting and Elections
State Voter Registration Processes and Participation
State Variability: States have the authority to determine voter registration requirements, provided they comply with federal laws that prohibit exclusion based on race, sex, or age (18 years or older).
Additional State Requirements: States may implement further rules that can impact participation, such as:
Restrictions on incarcerated individuals or felons.
Requirements for proof of residency through valid state-issued ID.
Mandatory government-issued photo ID.
Proof of age or citizenship via government documents.
Registration Process Variations: While federal mandates ensure registration is available at government service points (e.g., driver’s licenses), states vary in their processes:
Some states allow online or mail-in registration.
Oregon, for instance, automatically registers eligible voters.
Impact on Participation: These variations can significantly affect voter turnout. Stricter ID requirements or complex registration processes may create barriers, potentially decreasing participation, especially among certain demographic groups. Conversely, easier processes like online registration or automatic registration can increase voter access and turnout.
The National Voter Registration Act of 1993 (NVRA)
Purpose: The NVRA, often called the "Motor Voter Act," was enacted to make voter registration more accessible by requiring that it be included in government applications.
Significance: This act aimed to increase voter participation by streamlining the registration process, ensuring that citizens could register to vote when applying for a driver's license or welfare benefits, thereby reducing barriers to registration.
Factors Increasing Likelihood of Voting
Demographic Trends: Several factors are associated with a higher likelihood of voting:
Age: Individuals aged 65 and older show consistently higher turnout rates compared to younger groups (18-25).
Socioeconomic Status: Persons with greater wealth and higher levels of education tend to vote at higher rates.
Racial Differences: Historically, Caucasians have reported higher voting rates compared to minority groups (Asian-American, African-American, Hispanic).
Political Engagement: Campaigns often focus on these "likely voters" due to their consistent participation.
Electoral College and Popular Vote Divergence
Function of the Electoral College: The Electoral College is the body responsible for electing the President and Vice President of the United States. Voters do not directly elect the president; instead, they vote for electors who are pledged to a particular candidate.
Composition: There are 538 total electors, with a majority of 270 electoral votes required to win the presidency. The number of electors assigned to each state corresponds to its total congressional representation (number of House representatives plus two senators).
Relationship with Popular Vote: In most elections, the candidate who wins the national popular vote also secures a majority in the Electoral College. However, the system allows for discrepancies.
Outcomes Divergence: Instances occur when the candidate who wins the national popular vote does not secure the necessary 270 electoral votes to win the presidency.
Historical Examples: Notable splits between the popular vote and Electoral College outcome occurred in the 2000 and 2016 presidential elections.
Faithless Electors: While rare, "faithless electors" are those who do not cast their electoral vote for the candidate who won the popular vote in their state. Many states have laws in place to bind electors to their state's popular choice, aiming to prevent such divergences.
In simple terms: The Electoral College is how we elect the President and Vice President of the U.S. Instead of directly voting for the president, citizens actually vote for people called “electors” who promise to vote for a certain candidate. There are a total of 538 electors, and a candidate needs to get at least 270 of these votes to win. Each state gets a certain number of electors based on its population (its number of representatives in the House plus its two senators).
Usually, the candidate who gets the most individual votes nationwide (the popular vote) also wins the Electoral College. However, sometimes this doesn't happen. This means a candidate can win the most individual votes across the country but still lose the presidency because they don't get enough electoral votes. This happened in the 2000 and 2016 elections.
Rarely, an elector might vote against their state's popular choice; these are called "faithless electors."