VOTE!
By Haley Grubbs
Voter Registration Requirements & Procedures
- Must be a U.S. citizen.
- Must be a resident of the state
- Must be at least 18 years old or will be 18 by the date of the next election
- Must not be a felon
**Must complete a voter registration application to vote!
- Must provide full name
- Address
- Date of Birth
- Citizenship Status
Steps In Voting
1. Register to Vote
2. Go to polling place to cast vote
3. Cast vote on a voting machine
4. Election workers count votes
5. Votes are turned into the election board
6. Votes are then sent to the state canvassing authority
7. The election of the winner is certified
Who votes?
Usually people who have positive attitudes toward the government and citizenship, and who have high income vote. Also people who want to see a change in the government & who like the candidates vote.
People who don't vote usually have a lack of interest in voting, or simply cannot meet the state voting requirements.
Straight v Split Ticket voting
- Straight ticket voting is when you vote for only one party on your ballot no matter who it is (all democrat, all republican etc)
- Split ticket voting is when you vote for multiple parties in different positions on your ballot
BEWARE: Ballot Fatigue
Ballot fatigue is when there are several names on a political ballot, and voters choose to ignore some candidates when there are too many choices. When this occurs, a number of people get tired of reading the different names, and they choose the ones closest to the top of the list
Voting Amendments
15th Amendment: All races have the right to vote
17th Amendment: Establishes that the people of the state elect the senators
19th Amendment: All women have the right to vote
23rd Amendment: gives the residents of Washington, D.C. and the District of Columbia the right to vote
24th Amendment: prohibits poll taxes
26th Amendment: changed voting age to 18 years old
Important Historical Events
1870- Fifteenth Amendment prohibits denying a person's right to vote on the basis of race
1920- Nineteenth Amendment guarantees women the right to vote
1970- Voting Rights Act Amendments of 1970 lowers the minimum voting age to 18 in federal elections
1992- Voting Rights Language Assistance Act extends use of bilingual ballots and voting assistance
1993- National Voter Registration Act makes it easier to register to vote and to maintain registration