The Election Process

1. The Election Process Voting and Your Rights

2. Registration • The act of signing up with election officials in order to qualify for voting. • Must give name, address, and in states with closed primaries, a party preference. • Rules vary from state to state. • Most have a residency requirement • make sure that voters are familiar with local issues • to prevent outsiders from trying to swing elections.

3. Ballots • List of candidates to be voted on • Originally each party’s ballot looked different and others could tell who you were voting for • Australian ballot - secret ballot • used in every state • printed, paid for and distributed by state or local governments • cast in the privacy of voting booth

4. Polling Place • Both state and local laws govern where a person votes • states sets up voting districts and local governments divide them into wards and then precincts • assigned to a specific voting place • state and local officials set the times • absentee ballot - used if can’t go to poll • state or local gov’t determines the type of voting apparatus

5. Ensuring Honest Elections • Election judges from both parties are assigned to each polling place • poll watchers may be present - represent political parties, even minor parties • check the registration to vote carefully • votes are tallied and sent to the appropriate local or state canvassing board • canvassing board tabulates the votes and certifies the winners • final decision on validity rests with courts

6. American Voter Turnout • Voter turnout in presidential elections has dropped severely • 1876 - 80% voted • 1936 - 56% voted • 1988 - 50% voted • 1992 - 55% voted

7. Characteristics of Voters • Education/ income - more education and more wealth people have the more likely to vote • Occupation - employed vote at a much higher rate than the unemployed • Age - older the more likely to vote • Race - whites more likely to vote than minorities • Sex - not much difference • Residence - Midwest and Northeast vote more than South or West-rural more than urban

8. Why people don’t vote • Political apathy-indifference • Unable to get to polls • lower level of gov’t being elected the lower the voter turnout • elections with little of no media attention have low voter turnout • barriers to voting - residency, problems getting registered • people are relatively satisfied with gov’t and its policies

9. Voting Decisions • Party loyalty affects how one votes • changing as more independents run • Image of candidate affects how people vote • personality, appearance, reputation • Issues are an important factor in who people vote for • cast ballots for person whose positions are closest to their own