Voting and Elections
CP Political Systems
Pre Chapter Questions
Directions: You have 7 minutes to answer the following
questions ON YOUR OWN! Write answers only.
1. What are 2 qualifications you have to meet in order to
vote in the U.S.?
2. Which right is considered by many outside of this
country to be our greatest freedom?
3. What are voting districts called? (HINT: Police
Stations)
4. The 2000 Election was very controversial because of
suspected voting mistakes in which U.S. state?
5. Which Constitutional Amendment changed the voting
age in the U.S.?
Voting Qualifications
• In order to vote in U.S. elections you must be
 18 years old
 Resident of the state you’re voting in
 Citizen of the U.S.
 Registered to vote
http://www.sos.state.ga.us/elections/voter_
registration/vra_2003_update.pdf
Who Votes?
• People eligible to vote are called the electorate
• People’s voting rights will be denied if
 They are inmates in mental hospitals
 They have been convicted of a felony
 They do not meet the residency requirements
in their state
Who Votes?
Voter Residency Requirement Days
Who Votes?
Effects of Felon Voting Bans on African American Males
Why Should I Vote?
• The right to vote is considered to be our
greatest freedom
• People should exercise their right to vote
because it allows citizens to
 Choose their govt. leaders
 Elect new leaders if dissatisfied with
performance of current leaders
 Express their opinions on public issues
Smoking Ban in GA Rests.
Where Do I Vote?
• Precincts
 Each address is assigned to a specific precinct
number
 Each precinct has specific locations where its
residents go to vote (polling stations)
 Can find precinct number here: (if registered)
http://www.sos.state.ga.us/elections/
Gwinnett County Precinct Map
Sample Voter Info Card
How Do I Vote?
• Polling stations open as early as 5AM and close
as late as 8 or 9 PM (GA 7am-7pm)
• Each voting precinct decides the method of
voting to use:
 Mechanical Machine - Levers
 Electronic Voting – Touch Screen / Optical
Scan
 Paper Ballot – Paper/Punch Card
Voting Methods
Voting Methods
• Electronic Voting
Opti-Scan Voting Machine
Touch Screen Voting
Voting Methods
• Mechanical Machine
Voting Methods
• Paper Ballot
Datavote
Basic Paper
Punch Cards (holes called CHADS)
2000 Election Controversy
2000 Election Controversy
Palm Beach County
Voting Methods
When Do I Vote?
• General Election Day
 1st Tuesday after the 1st Monday in Nov.
 Could be voting for
 President of the U.S.
 Governor
 Senators
 Representatives
 State Legislators
 Any state, federal, or local officials
• Mid-term Elections (Same Day as Above)
 Elections in which members of Congress and
some Governors are being elected, but not the
President
Voting Types
• Straight Ticket Voting
 Voting for all candidates in one party
 Some states make it easy by having a column
on ballot for each party
Voting Types
• Split Ticket Voting
 Voting for candidates of different political
parties for different offices
SEE HANDOUT FOR
EXAMPLE
Voting Types
• Write In Voting
 Voters can write in names of candidates they
wish to vote for, whose names do not appear
on the ballot
 Candidate has to be an officially endorsed
candidate for vote to count
Voting Types
• Absentee Voting
 Voters who cannot get to the polls on Election
Day can use an absentee ballot
 Can be requested from the local election board
as early as 180 days before Election Day
 Ballots opened and counted in your precinct
on Election Day
Voting Types
• Advance Voting
 Allows any registered voter to cast a ballot in
person at the county voter registration office
during normal business hours on the Monday
through Friday of the week prior to an election.
Counting the Votes
• Election workers count votes after polls close
• Ballots then taken to election board and they
count votes again
• News media and party workers try to predict
winners as soon as possible through exit polls
 also used to deter voter fraud
Pol.Parties/Voting Quiz : 3/8/2006
Answer the following questions on your own paper:
1. What is the main goal of the Republican and Democratic
parties?
2. What is the second step in getting a party candidate elected
to office?
3. What is the term used to describe the act of a newly elected
party member giving loyal party supporters jobs or favors?
4. List the 4 qualifications to vote in the U.S.
5. What is the term used to describe anyone who is eligible to
vote in U.S. elections?
6. What is the term used to describe the voting districts in
which we have to vote?
7. According to the map we looked at in class, why do 30%
of African American males in Florida not vote?