Chapter 6: Voters And Voter Behavior Section 2

Chapter 6: Voters and Voter BehaviorSection 2

Objectives1. Identify the universal qualifications forvoting in the United States.2. Explain the other requirements thatStates use or have used as votingqualifications.Chapter 6, Section 2Copyright Pearson Education, Inc.Slide 2

Key Terms alien: foreign-born residents who have notbecome citizens transients: people who plan to live in a State foronly a short time registration: a method of voter identificationintended to prevent fraud purging: the process of removing the names ofvoters who are no longer eligible to vote poll books: the official lists of qualified voters ineach precinct literacy: a person’s ability to read and writeChapter 6, Section 2Copyright Pearson Education, Inc.Slide 3

Introduction What are the qualifications for voting, andhow have they changed over time?– The basic requirements for voting are that youmust be a U.S. citizen, have establishedresidency in the State where you are casting yourvote, and be at least 18 years of age.– The minimum voting age and minimumlength of residency have both been lowered overtime.Chapter 6, Section 2Copyright Pearson Education, Inc.Slide 4

Citizenship In most States, foreign-born residents whohave not become citizens cannot vote.– Citizenship is up to each State to decide.– States can also distinguish between nativeborn and naturalized citizens, requiring thatvoters become citizens of that State for aminimum period of time before being allowedto vote.Chapter 6, Section 2Copyright Pearson Education, Inc.Slide 5

Residency A person must also be a legal resident of the State inwhich he or she votes. In the past, this meant a person had to be a State residentfor at least a year to vote in that State. Due to federal law and aSupreme Court ruling,most States now set notime requirement for legalresidency, or have cutit to 30 days.Chapter 6, Section 2Copyright Pearson Education, Inc.Slide 6

Residency, cont. Transients cannotvote in the Statewhere they are livingtemporarily.– Voters living outsidetheir State, such assoldiers, can castabsentee ballots intheir home State.Chapter 6, Section 2Copyright Pearson Education, Inc.Slide 7

Age Under the 26th Amendment, the minimumvoting age cannot be older than 18.– Before the passage of this amendment, the minimumage had been 21 in most States.– Some States allow 17-year-olds to vote in primaryelections. Historically, young voters have been less likelyto vote than any other age group of eligiblevoters.Chapter 6, Section 2Copyright Pearson Education, Inc.Slide 8

Age, cont. Checkpoint: What event was significant tolowering the voting age?– The service of18-year-olds inthe Vietnam Warhelped mobilizepublic opinion tolower the votingage.Chapter 6, Section 2Copyright Pearson Education, Inc.Slide 9

Voter Registration In almost all States, onemust be registered in orderto vote. A prospective votertypically provides their age,name, place of birth,address, and length ofresidence toa registrar or county clerk,who keeps a record of alleligible voters.Chapter 6, Section 2Copyright Pearson Education, Inc.Slide 10

Voter Registration, cont. Voter registration cantake place at rallies,fairs, schoolcampuses, and otherpublic places. In other democracies,voters must beregistered by law.Only in the UnitedStates is it voluntary.Chapter 6, Section 2Copyright Pearson Education, Inc.Slide 11

Voter Registration, cont. The Motor Voter Actrequires all States to:– Let eligible citizensregister when they applyfor or renew a driver’slicense– Provide voter registrationby mail– Make registration formsavailable at many StateofficesChapter 6, Section 2Copyright Pearson Education, Inc.Slide 12

Should You Need an ID to Vote? In 2005, Indiana passed a law requiring voters topresent photo ID to vote. In 2008, the Supreme Court ruled that the lawwas constitutional and did notcreate a barrier to voting.– This ruling allowedother states to addstronger IDrequirements toelection laws.Chapter 6, Section 2Copyright Pearson Education, Inc.Slide 13

Tests and Taxes Literacy tests for voting were oncecommon, but are no longer used.– These tests were often aimed at denyingAfrican Americans the vote, with grandfatherclauses allowing whites to vote without beingtested. Some States, particularly in the South,also charged a poll tax to vote.– In 1964 the 24th Amendment banned the useof any voting taxes.Chapter 6, Section 2Copyright Pearson Education, Inc.Slide 14

Persons Denied the Vote Every State denies the vote to some people.– Few States allow people found mentally incompetentto vote.– Most States disqualify people convicted of seriouscrimes from voting, although it is often possible forconvicted felons to regain their voting rights.– Some States also ban those dishonorably dischargedfrom the armed forces from voting.Chapter 6, Section 2Copyright Pearson Education, Inc.Slide 15

Review Now that you have learned about thequalifications for voting and how they havechanged over time, go back and answerthe Chapter Essential Question.– Why do voters act as they do?Chapter 6, Section 2Copyright Pearson Education, Inc.Slide 16

registration: a method of voter identification intended to prevent fraud purging: the process of removing the names of voters who are no longer eligible to vote poll books: the official lists of qualified voters in each