Unit 5: voting Flashcards
Original Electorates
In 1789, property and tax qualifications restricted the electorate to
white male property owners.
*Only about one in fifteen adult white males had the right to vote.
Jacksonian Democracy
*Andrew Jackson and his supporters had great respect for the common
sense and abilities of the common man. As a result, Jackson eliminated
property ownership and tax payments as qualification for voting.
*By 1850, almost all adult white males had the right to vote.
The 15th
Amendment, 1870
prohibited voting restritions based on race, color, pr previous condition of servitude
-dispite the amendment, a combination of literacy tests, poll taxes, white primaries, grandfather clause systematically disenfranchised
23rd amendment
*Prior to 1961, residents in the district of Columbia could not vote in
presidential elections.
*The 23rd
Amendment added voters of the District of Columbia to the
presidential electorate.
The 24th
Amendment, 1964
uraging citizens from voting.
*The 24th
*Prior to 1964, a number of states used poll taxes as a means of
Amendment outlawed the poll tax or any tax as a
qualification for voting.
The Voting Rights Act of 1965
*Prohibited any government form using voting procedures that denied
a person the vote of the basis of race or color.
*Abolished the use of literacy requirements for anyone who had
grade.
completed the 6th
*Authorized federal registrars to protect African Americans’ right to
vote in Southern states and counties with histories of discrimination.
The 26th
Amendment, 1971
*The 26th
Amendment provides that the minimum age for voting in any
election cannot be less than 18 years.
*A state may set a minimum voting age of less than 18.
how does education effect voting
*People with more education are more likely to vote. People with less
education are less likely to vote.
*Historically, people with more education, were more likely to vote
Republican. However, in the 2008 presidential election, this changed. More
college graduates voted for Democratic candidate Barack Obama than
Republican John McCain. This trend has continued.
how does age effect voting
*Older people are more likely to vote that younger people. However,
voter turnout does decrease over the age of 70, and the younger voter
turnout (18-24) is increasing.
*Historically, younger voters are more likely to vote for the Democratic
candidates , and older voters for the Republican candidates.
how does race effect voting
Whites tend to have higher turnout rates than African American,
Hispanics, and other minority groups. It is important to note that
when the effects of income and education are eliminated, black
citizens vote at a higher rate than do white citizens.
The prudency of FDR witnessed a major shift of African American
voters from the Republican Party to the Democratic Party. The
overwhelming majority of African Americans now support
Democratic candidates, who are more on the liberal side.
political efficacy
the belief that political participation and voting can make a difference
Citizens who have a low level of political efficacy believe that their
votes will have no effect on the outcome of the election.
*A rising level of cynicism and a corresponding decline in trust of
government have combined to reduce political efficacy and lower voter
turnout rates.
how does gender effect voting
*Women vote at higher percentages than men. In 2008 presidential
election, women comprised 54% of all voters.
* Women generally favor Democrats, while men generally favor
Republicans. This is known as the “gender gap.”
how does religion effect voting
Jews and Catholics are more likely to vote than Protestants.
Historically, a majority of Protestants have supported Republican
candidates, while a majority of Jewish and Catholic voters have
supported Democratic candidates.
multiparty systems
- Apolitical system in which a number of political parties
compete for political offices - Parties in a multiparty system often represent widely
different ideologies about government policies. - France, Italy, and Israel all have multiparty systems.
One-party systems
Apolitical system in which one party exercises total
control over the government.
* China, North Korea, and Iran all have one-party
systems
