Voting

Page 2: The Presidential Election 2024

  • “The personal is political”

  • Office hours today: 2:30-4:30

  • HW-1728

  • Counseling & Wellness Services available for students

  • Immigrant Student Success Center and CUNY Work/Life resources provided.

Page 3: Community Reflection

  • Hunter College encourages reflection on the election's meaning for democracy and the academic community.

  • Hunter’s identity: a welcoming home for marginalized groups.

  • Importance of solidarity and support among community members, particularly those facing injustice.

  • Services available for emotional support: Student Counseling & Wellness Services, Immigrant Student Success Center, CUNY Work/Life.

Page 4: Election Results

  • Donald Trump wins: 226 electoral votes; 270 needed to win.

  • Final vote totals:

    • Trump: 72,642,855 votes (50.9%)

    • Opponent: 67,958,303 votes (47.6%)

Page 5: US Senate Results

  • Senate results reported by The Associated Press.

  • Democratic Party: 44 seats

  • GOP: 50 seats for majority

  • Changes: Lost 3, gained 3 seats.

Page 6: NY Constitutional Amendment 1 - Equal Protection

  • Results from November 6, 2024, on Kirsten Gillibrand.

  • Votes:

    • Yes: 4,499,945 votes (58.4%)

    • No: 2,774,749 votes (41.1%)

  • Eric Adams’ ballot proposals passed.

Page 7: Voting Trends in 2024

  • Key reasons for immediate result announcement:

    • Reduced mail-in ballot rate

    • Wider margins in swing states.

  • Consider caution with exit polls; recognize their unreliability.

Page 9: How We Vote: Australian Ballot

  • Adopted in 1888.

  • Characteristics:

    • State-printed and state-distributed ballots at taxpayer expense.

    • All candidates from qualifying parties listed.

    • Private voting allows split-ticket voting.

Page 10: How We Vote: Primaries & Caucuses

  • Political parties decide on nomination methods.

  • Definitions:

    • Primary: Election to select party nominees.

    • Caucus: Gathering to deliberate and choose nominees (declining use).

Page 12: Types of Primaries

  • Closed Primary: Voters registered with the party vote only.

  • Open Primary: Unaffiliated voters may choose either party’s primary to vote in.

  • Top Two Primary: Candidates listed on the same ballot; top two advance.

Page 16: Presidential Primary

  • State voters determine number of pledged delegates.

  • Superdelegates: Party insiders with specific voting rules based on popular vote outcomes.

Pages 20-23: Who Can Vote? History and Rights

  • Voting evolution: Restricted initially by race, gender, age (15th, 19th, 26th Amendments).

  • Historical restrictions during the Jim Crow era included

    • Grandfather clauses, literacy tests, poll taxes.

Page 24-25: Civil Rights Movement

  • Civil Rights Act (1964) and Voting Rights Act (1965): key milestones.

  • VRA aimed to ensure fair voter access and oversight of voting law changes in certain jurisdictions.

Page 28: Shelby County v. Holder (2013)

  • Supreme Court ruling weakened VRA: struck key provisions making federal approval necessary for state voting law changes.

Page 32: Post-Shelby Voting Landscape

  • Increase in restrictive voting laws since 2013.

  • Documented instances of voter fraud minimal compared to voting laws enacted to address it.

Page 33: Voter ID Laws

  • First ID law passed in 2006; increased since Shelby.

  • Often disproportionately impacts voters of color and economically disadvantaged.

Page 36: Felon Voting Laws

  • 2008: 5.3 million Americans unable to vote due to felony convictions.

  • Voter rights vary by state: some permanently lose rights, some never lose.

Page 37: Case Study: Florida Rights Restoration Coalition

  • Amendment 4 restored voting rights to over a million people post-felony conviction.

  • Legislative response mandated full payment of fines/fees for voting eligibility.

Page 39: Transgender & Disability Disenfranchisement

  • ID verification and polling experiences can negatively impact marginalized genders and disabled individuals.

  • Accessibility issues at polling places remain significant barriers.

Page 40: Institutional Reforms to Increase Access

  • Introduce policies like:

    • Early Voting

    • Same Day Registration

    • Vote by Mail

    • Automatic Voter Registration

Page 46: Questions for Consideration

  • Consider role of federal government in regulating elections.

  • Assess trustworthiness of states in managing elections.

  • Debate the necessity of a constitutional amendment guaranteeing voting as a fundamental right.