2. “The Framers of the Constitution struggled
with the problems of participation and
representation. In the theory, they favored a
government of, by, and for the people. In
practice, they feared that the self-
interested bahaviors of the general public
could lead to what James Madison referred
to as a (tyranny of the majority)”
-Stephen J. Wayne. 1995
3. ELECTIONS IN THE UNITED STATES
• Are both expressing public opinion and a way in which the people
control their government.
• Aid in the process public opinion into public policy.
4. ELECTIONS IN THE UNITED STATES
• Public Opinion into Public Policy- requires that our public
officials recognize what the voters are saying
- public officiasl study how the people reacts to
election issues, candidates, and a host of other factors that
influence voting brhavior.
• For the Americans “Bad Officials are Elected by Good Citizens who
do not vote”
6. Importance of Elections
• For the Americans Popular Sovereignty means;
a.) the people have granted to the
government the powers to needed to act
effectively in their behalf
b.) the people exercise a control over their
government to ensure that it operates in their
behalf.
7. Importance of Elections
• Americans influence Public Officials through such
nongovernmental organizations as political
parties and pressure groups. They make their
wishes known to their representatives by writing
letters, sending telegrams, and at time by means
of personal visit.
8. Elections and Public Opinion
• Election results don’t always reflect public opinion accurately-
except in a broad and general way.
• Americans normally do not cast their votes for or against specific
policies. Instead, voters cast their ballots for the representatives
who will, in turn, decide upon specific policies.
• Example.
His election in 1952, w/c in part, due to his
promise to end the Korean conflict.
His reelection in 1956 seems to indicate that
the public accepted his policies and wanted
them to continue in the future.
9. Elections and Public Opinion
“The Pressure of Public
Opinion is felt and
recognized when by every
politician seeking
reelection.”
10. Voting Qualification in the United States
• Voting a Privilege- voting is probably the most important means of
holding elected officials accountable for their actions.
- voting then is a privelege to be enjoyed by
those who meet the conditions specified by the laws governing
voting.
• Before 1920- during the colonial times, large numbers of people
were eniligible to vote, but there was a continuing demands that
more people be enfranchised allowed to vote.
11. • The Large Majority of Americans who were
disenfranchised prior to 1920:
1. Those who could not meet certain property
requirements.
2. Women (the largest number of disenfranchised
citizens)
3. Black American
4. “those who do not believe on a Christian God” -
[Wayne.1995]
12. Voting Qualification in the United States
• Disenfranchised Black- prior to the civil war, the
majority of black Americans – both who were free and
those who were held in slavery-were denied the
privilege of voting.
- following the civil war, the fifteenth
amendment/c stated that the right to vote “shall not be
denied … on account of race, color or previous condition
of servitude.”
13. Major Steps to End the Disenfranchisement fo
the Blacks;
1. In 1964, poll tax in federal elections was finally eliminated by
the twenty –fourth Amendment to the Constitution.
2. Taken by the federal government when in 1965, the Voting Right
Act allowed for the suspension of literacy tests in six Southern
states and part of the North Carolina.
Voting Qualifications Today- United States citizenship, at least 18
years of age, residency in the state and county for a certain period
of time and registration as voter.
15. Types of Voting Patterns
• State Patterns- two voting trends.
- one was the tendency for the people to vote
great regularity for one people in some states to vote with great
regularity for one particular political party.
- second trend, was the tendency for certain
states to follow a pattern of high or low voter turnout.
• Voting Patterns by Groups- studies made of group voting patterns
indicate that low-income groups- both white and nonwhite-have
low voting turnout.
16. Factors That Influence Voting Behavior
The Family
Socioeconomic
Status
Race, Religion, and
Place of Residence
17. The Profile of the Voter
• The Average Voter- the average voter today is less inclined to identify
with the party of his or her parents. This does not mean that people are
choosing the opposite political party. It does mean that voters have a
greater tendency to consider themselves as independent.
• The Independent Voter- the one who switches from one party to another
at election time, then he is importantand deserves further study.
- is more apt to be influenced by the issues and
candidates than by party affiliation.
• Nonvoter- can be found at any group.
18. References:
• Wit, Daniel and Dionespoulos, P. Allan. 1977. “Our American
Government and Political System”.2nd Ed., Laidlaw Brothers
Publishers, USA.
• Cole, Richard L., Mackenzie, Calvin G., O’Brien, David M., and
Wayne, Stephen J. (1995). “The Politics of American
Government”. USA: St. Martin’s Press, Inc.
• Patterson, Thomas E. (2005). “The American Democracy” 7th
Ed., New York: McGraw-Hill.
