REVIEW QUESTIONS

1. When is election day?

2. What does PAC stand for and what is their role in campaigns?

3. Which amendments have expanded suffrage? What groups do they ensure suffrage for?

C H. 1 7 , S E C . 3

INFLUENCES ON VOTERS

VOTING PROCEDURES

• Vote at polling place in your precinct

• What your ballot can look like:• Office-group – all candidates listed by each position, not

party• Many feel this encourages ticket-splitting – voting for

candidates from different parties

• Party-column ballot – listed by party

• Canvassing board counts votes

PROFILE OF NONVOTERS

• Voter Participation • % of people who vote changes – 60% or less usually

• Ways of Increasing Voter Turnout • Shift election day from Tues to Sun• Registration on election day• Early voting

PROFILE OF REGULAR VOTERS

• Positive attitudes towards gov’t & citizenship

• Factors in whether or not people vote:• Age• Education • Income

• 5 main factors that influence voters are…

PERSONAL BACKGROUND OF VOTERS

• Voters backgrounds affect how they vote• Age (example: SS affects groups differently)

• Other Background Influences • Racial and ethnic background • Education level • Religion

• The Cross-pressured voter• Caught b/w conflicting elements in their own life

LOYALTY TO POLITICAL PARTIES

• Strong vs. Weak Party Voters• Strong party voters – straight-party ticket• Weak party voters – more likely to vote to for rival party

occasionally

• Independent Voters – don’t think of themselves as Rep or Dem (growing)

ISSUES IN ELECTION CAMPAIGNS

• Many voters not well informed on issues

• Become more informed through • Television • Better educated than in the past

• Platform issues influence people’s lives more directly now

How would you describe these men based on these images alone?

THE CANDIDATES IMAGE

• Candidates try to present themselves as someone the public can trust

• Many voters select candidates on image alone • Problem?

PROPAGANDA

• Political parties, interest groups, and businesses try to convince people of the value of their ideas

• Many messages sent out are propaganda – ideas, info, or rumors to influence opinion

• Propaganda techniques - Look at the chart on page 496 in your book• Copy down chart