Voting and Elections
Analyze voter turnout, election rules, reapportionment, redistricting, primaries, caucuses, Electoral College, and campaign strategy.
A lesson of AP United States Government and Politics, in Political Participation, about 10 minutes.
By the end of this lesson, you will be able to explain what determines voter turnout, describe the stages of the presidential election, and evaluate barriers to voting.
Who Votes — and Who Doesn't
US voter turnout is lower than most wealthy democracies — about 55–60% in presidential elections, 40% in midterms, and as low as 20% in local elections.
Factors that increase voting:
- Higher education
- Higher income
- Older age
- Strong party identification
- Competitive election (smaller perceived distance between candidates = less reason to bother)
- Ease of registration and voting
Factors that decrease voting:
- Difficulty of registration (US requires proactive registration; many democracies automatically register citizens)
- Lack of time off work; no national holiday
- Fewer polling places in some jurisdictions
- Lack of perceived political efficacy
Expanding the Franchise
15th Amendment (1870): race cannot be used to deny the vote.
19th Amendment (1920): sex cannot be used to deny the vote.
24th Amendment (1964): poll taxes abolished in federal elections.
Voting Rights Act (1965): prohibited discriminatory voting practices; federal oversight of jurisdictions with history of discrimination.
26th Amendment (1971): lowered voting age to 18.
Shelby County v. Holder (2013): Supreme Court gutted the preclearance formula in the VRA, allowing formerly covered states to change voting rules without federal approval.
The Presidential Election Process
Phase 1 — Invisible primary: candidates raise money and build organizations before any voting occurs. Those who can't demonstrate viability (through fundraising and polling) often drop out.
Phase 2 — Primaries and caucuses: voters in each state select the party's nominee through elections (primaries) or meetings (caucuses). Iowa caucuses and New Hampshire primary have traditionally gone first (enormous influence despite being small states).
Phase 3 — National conventions: parties formally nominate their candidates; adopt platforms; vice-presidential nominees announced.