The document discusses voters and voter behavior in the United States. It begins by outlining the objectives of identifying universal voting requirements, amendments affecting voting rights, and sociological and psychological factors influencing voting. It then provides a history of voting rights in the US, extending from only white male property owners to universal suffrage. Key legislation and amendments granting women, racial minorities, younger adults the right to vote are discussed. Finally, it analyzes sociological factors like income, education, gender, age, religion, and geography that affect party affiliation and voter behavior.

1. VOTERS AND VOTER
BEHAVIOR
THE ABC’S OF THE PEOPLE WHO PICK THE PRESIDENT

2. OBJECTIVES
STUDENTS WILL IDENTIFY THE UNIVERSAL
REQUIREMENTS FOR VOTING IN THE UNITED STATES
STUDENTS WILL IDENTIFY AMENDMENTS AND
LEGISLATION AFFECTING RIGHTS TO VOTE
STUDENTS WILL ANALYZE THE SOCIOLOGICAL AND
PSYCHOLOGICAL FACTORS THAT AFFECT VOTING
BEHAVIOR

3. VOCABULARY
SUFFRAGE: THE RIGHT TO VOTE
ELECTORATE: THE POTENTIAL VOTING POPULATION
REGISTRATION: PROCEDURE OF VOTER IDENTIFICATION TO
PREVENT FRAUDULENT VOTING
POLL TAX: SPECIAL TAX AS A CONDITION FOR VOTING

4. HISTORY
Framers gave States power to set
suffrage qualifications
1789 Constitution - right to vote
restricted to white, Male, Property
owners
Two long-term trends
Gradual elimination of voter
restrictions
Shift from states power to federal
governments power over right to
vote.

5. EXTENDING SUFFRAGE
Early 1800s - Eliminations
Religious qualifications
Property ownership
Post Civil War
15th Amendment: ‘right to
vote shall not be denied on
account of race, color or
previous condition of
servitude’; male slaves
(1870)

6. EXTENDING SUFFRAGE (CONT)
Women
Denied right to vote
19th Amendment: Female suffrage (1920)
Race (1960s)
Civil Rights movement ➙ Voting Rights Act
of 1965: racial equality at the polling
stations
23rd Amendment: District of Columbia
voters added (1961)
24th Amendment: Eliminated poll tax (1964)
Age
1. 26th Amendment: 18 years old set (1971)

7. SOCIOLOGICAL FACTORS
Income, Occupation
Low ➙ Democrats
High ➙ Republicans (professional and
business)
Education
Higher Education ➙ Liberal leaning

8. SOCIOLOGICAL FACTORS (CONT.)
Gender/Age
Women and Young - Democrats
Men and Old - Republicans
Religious/Ethnic
Protestant - Republicans
Catholic & Jewish - Democrats
Non-Caucasian - Democrats
Geography
Small Cities - Republicans
Large Cities - Democrats

9. VOTER QUALIFICATIONS
Universal Requirements
Citizenship - no foreign aliens
allowed to vote
Residence - in that state (length
varies in states)
Registration - Provide name,
age, place of birth, present
address, length of residence &
ID

10. VOTER QUALIFICATIONS (CONT.)
Kansas
18
US Citizen
Residence: No length
Be registered
Disqualifications:
a. death, federal or
state felony (until
sentence done)
http://www.kssos.org/forms/
elections/voterregistration.pdf
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Kansas Voter Registration Application Register to vote online at www.sos.ks.gov
Instructions: To register to vote, you must be a U.S. citizen and a resident of the State of Kansas. You must have reached the age of 18 years before the next
and/or address, you must have abandoned your former residence and/or name.
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A:
B:
1-800-262-VOTE (8683) V/TTY
You can use this application to
Register to vote in Kansas, change your name or your address on your
How to register to vote
-
gible to vote in that election.
Failure to answer both questions will result in rejection of application
(please print in blue or black ink)
(select one)
Registration Update
Signature
(select one)
Continue to step 7
tear off instructions and seal before mailing.
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Jr. Sr. II III IV
Male Female
Current Kansas
driver’s license #
Libertarian
ReformLast four digits of your social security #
I do not have any of these numbers
Kansas resident, that I will be 18 years old before the next election,
that if convicted of a felony, I have had my civil rights restored, that
I have abandoned my former residence and/or other name, and that
I have told the truth.
StateCityCounty
number in addition to one of the above)
XXX-XX -
Kansas County City
City
month day year
month day year
I have resided at the
above address since
These numbers will be used for administrative purposes only and will not be disclosed to the
public. (K.S.A. 25-2309)
Sign inside box
month day year

11. VOTER BEHAVIOR
Voters
Higher income,
education,
occupational status,
active community
member, long time
resident
Non-Voters
Younger than 35,
unmarried, men less
likely to vote