Scribd
Upload
182 views

Cornell Notes Topic(s) : Chapter 12-Voting and Voter Behavior

The document provides an overview of voting and voter behavior in the United States. It discusses how the electorate has expanded over time to include more groups as more amendments were passed. It also examines voter turnout rates, different voting blocs, and models of voting. Additionally, it outlines factors that can influence participation and details aspects of the voting process like registration, ballot types, and reforms enacted in response to the 2000 election.

Uploaded by

api-393540808
Copyright
© © All Rights Reserved
We take content rights seriously. If you suspect this is your content, claim it here.
Available Formats
Download as DOCX, PDF, TXT or read online on Scribd
182 views

Cornell Notes Topic(s) : Chapter 12-Voting and Voter Behavior

The document provides an overview of voting and voter behavior in the United States. It discusses how the electorate has expanded over time to include more groups as more amendments were passed. It also examines voter turnout rates, different voting blocs, and models of voting. Additionally, it outlines factors that can influence participation and details aspects of the voting process like registration, ballot types, and reforms enacted in response to the 2000 election.

Uploaded by

api-393540808
Copyright
© © All Rights Reserved
We take content rights seriously. If you suspect this is your content, claim it here.
Available Formats
Download as DOCX, PDF, TXT or read online on Scribd
You are on page 1/ 3

Cornell Notes

Topic(s): Chapter 12- Voting and Voter Behavior

Big ideas, questions, main Notes, answers, details, answers, examples, sentences, pg.
ideas, vocab numbers
Early elections At first only white, property owning men could vote. In early
elections, there was no popular vote for presidents: legislature
chose their electors. By 1800, 5 of 16 states had popular vote.
1823, everyone used popular vote. Black people and women
were barred from voting often with poll taxes, etc. so they used
protest as only way to participate.

Expanding electorate Jackson ended property requirement; 15th let Black men vote;
19 let women vote; 26 let 18 year olds vote; 23 allowed DC
vote; 24 outlawed poll taxes. Guinn v. US made grandfather
clause unconstitutional; Smith v. Allwright decided white
primary violated equal protections clause; CRA57 addressed
discrimination and raised Black participation; VRA65 let DoJ
watch over low-turnout states, outlawed literacy tests,
established preclearance; VRA65 pushed for 18 year olds to
vote but was challenged by states, led to 26th Amdt.

Themes in the information:


Political Freedom, Representative Government, Liberty

Other questions or inquiries:


I wonder why minorities and the poor are less likely to have IDs.

3 things learned:
1. Retrospective, Prospective, and Rational Voting
2. Specificities in voting blocs and demographics
3. Voter ID laws result in those becoming rallying cries that help turn out minorities

Relate one thing learned to your life:


New laws being created after the 2020 election seem to be in danger of limiting a lot of access
to the polls and seem to be supporting “the big lie” that the election was stolen. This can either
be a chance for Dems to unite and undo these or it can limit minority turn out.
Notes Continued
Voter turnout The number of voters who actually cast their ballots of a certain
population (full population, registered voters, race, ages, etc).
Highest in late 19th century (though fewer could vote) and then
decreased sharply during Vietnam and after Watergate.
Turnout among registered voters is generally far lower than
turn out of registered.

Limits on participation Inability to reach polls because of sickness or childcare or work;


voter apathy (lack of care); political inefficacy (“my vote doesn’t
count”); ID laws; felon disenfranchisement

Voting blocs People tend to vote in specific patterns and turn out similarly
based on their demographic groups

Types of blocs Gender: one of the biggest divides, women vote slightly more
than men and tend to lean liberal, married women more
conservative than unmarried
Age: young voters have been lowest turn-out since ratification
of the 26th, elderly consistently vote and generally support
SS and benefits
Minorities: Black people sided with repubs following Civil War,
moved to dems over time, passed white turnout for the
first time in 2012; Hispanics have largely voted with dems
especially as many people are pushed away from repubs
over immigration, Cubans vote conservative (fear of
socialism); Asian Americans have largely favored politicians
who are strongly opposed to regimes like those they left,
lean repub
Religion: Evangelicals are in the south and Midwest and vote
mainly republican; Catholics are a diverse group of ideas
which straddle the line, “cafeteria Catholics”; Jews vote
largely democratic and have high turnout sometimes
reaching 90%
Business: business owners and leaders generally support repubs
for lower taxes and regulation; workers often align with their
unions and vote for their interests (varied)

Voting models The decision-making process used by voters to decide who


they’ll vote for

Rational-choice voting: when a voter decides based on their top


priorities at the given time to support whoever best aligns
with those values; may be selfish or selfless, individual or
collective
Retrospective voting: looking at a track record to make a
decision; may analyze party as a whole and vote for other if
unhappy (2018 midterms)
Prospective: consider policy ideas and proposals and how they
would impact their lives if created, looks to future
Party-line: self-identified partisans likely vote with their party’s
decision by a wide margin.
Other voting factors: candidate centered campaigns withdraw
from party titles and focus on the candidate; character of
candidates as some may be so toxic that they force voters
away (roy moore); context such as economic boons or
busts can support or hurt incubments; etc.

NVRA National Voter Registration Act is federal law that encourages


participation and eliminates burdens to registration. AKA
motor-voter law because it requires states to offer registration
at state run agencies.

Response to 2000 election Confusion from Florida laws created new interest in election
reform and led to Congress passing the Help America Vote Act
(HAVA) which required states overhaul election systems and
provide way to double check ballots. Elections have gotten
more accurate, more people vote, and more people vote
through mail.

Voter Registration Registering voters helps governments prepare for elections and
assigns people to one polling place to avoid fraud and repeat
voting. Voters can find forms online and register through mail,
go to DMV or libraries, or go to board of elections with SS card
and ID.

Types of Ballots Australian ballot (election day ballot) is printed and distributed
publicly, lists all candidates, and are completed in private;
provisional ballot offers chance to vote when someone is not on
the rolls or at the wrong place, these are checked and possibly
counted later; absentee ballots allow people to vote by mail
either for reason like sickness or are no-excuse; some argue for
online voting, but it offers advantage to wealthier, whiter
demographics w/ internet access.

You might also like