Voting

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Voting

• A presentation by the
• League of Women Voters of
• Wayne County
• Eleanor Drake
• (retired Monroe 1 BOCES)
• and
• Sandra Keller
• (retired Wayne-Finger Lakes BOCES)

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BRANCHES OF GOVERNMENT

• Legislative Congress
•  
• Congress can
•  
• Hold public hearings.
• Write and pass laws.
• Override presidential vetoes.
• Approve amendments to the Constitution.
• Regulate commerce.
• Control federal taxation and spending.
• Coin money.
• Declare war.
• Oversee the executive branch.
• Impeach the president.

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BRANCHES OF GOVERNMENT

• Executive President, Vice President, Cabinet
•  
• The President can
•  
• Negotiate treaties.
• Meet with foreign leaders.
• Recommend legislation to Congress.
• Sign into law bills passed by Congress.
• Veto bills passed by Congress.
• Grant pardons.
• Send troops overseas.
•  
• Subject to Congressional Approval, the president
  also can
•  
• Sign treaties.
• Appoint ambassadors to foreign countries.
• Appoint justices to the Supreme Court.
• Appoint cabinet heads.
• Declare war.

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BRANCHES OF GOVERNMENT

• Judicial Supreme Court
•  
• The Supreme Court can
•  
• Rule on court cases that question interpretation
  of the Constitution.
• Supervise the operations of all federal courts.
• Overrule all decisions made by lower federal
  courts.
• Overrule decisions about federal laws made by
  state courts.

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YOUR Vote

• Can influence each branch of government!
• Legislative Vote for Senator and Representative
• Executive Vote for President
• Judicial Your President and Senator can
  appoint/confirm any proposed Supreme Court Justice

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• Imagine there is no texting, video games or
  email, imagine there are no automobiles, no
  trains and no Wal-Mart or Wegmans to purchase the
  supplies you need.
• Imagine you live in a rural farming community
  with limited contact with the outside world.
• Imagine the year is 1775 and you are living in
  the colonies under the rule of the King and now
  open your eyes.

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• Let me introduce myself - the year is 1775 and I
  am King George III of England. As it stands today
  I make all the laws, appoint the governors, set
  and collect taxes as I see fit, give land to
  citizens if I choose, declare which religions can
  be practiced and make virtually all decisions
  affecting your lives.
• Do you think this is right? Do you trust me to
  make 100 of the decisions affecting your future?
  Do you think I will make choices based on whats
  best for you or do you think I will make choices
  based on what is best for me?

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• Like you, the citizens of the time did not like
  this. They felt the King made decisions that were
  not in their best interests. In fact they were so
  angry that in 1776 with the signing of the
  Declaration of Independence they put their lives
  on the line so they could have a say in running
  their communities and determining how their
  society should function. What did the Declaration
  of Independence say to the king? We hold these
  truths to be self evident
• This led to the start of the Revolutionary War.

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• What would have happened to the signers of the
  Declaration of Independence if they had lost the
  war? We'll either hang together or we'll hang
  separately. Benjamin FranklinUS author,
  diplomat, inventor, physicist, politician,
  printer (1706 - 1790)
• So they felt having a right to participate in the
  running of their communities was so important
  they were willing to risk their lives to get it.
• The Revolutionary War was fought and 25,324
  people died fighting for the right to vote and to
  have a say in the running of their communities.
  Hostilities were officially ended and in 1783
  with the signing of the Treaty of Paris the
  United States was officially formed.

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• The war is over now everyone gets the right to
  vote and determine their future.
• Oops, did I say everyone? I didnt mean everyone
  I meant just men.
• Wrong again. Did I say men? I meant just white
  men.
• Strike three. Did I say white men? I meant just
  white male property owners. If you are one,
  please join me.

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John Floyd, Virginia politician
Thomas Pickering, Massachusetts politician
Portrait of Revolutionary War General Nathanael
Greene, 1783
Major Richard Platt, Continental Army,
Revolutionary War, New York
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Ulster County Clerk, Archives Division
Freeholders Lists c.(1798-1817) Transcription
A Return of the Freeholders of the Town of
Neversink, in the County of Ulster, Made by the
Subscribers, June 20th, 1800,To Serve as Juriors
in the above County__ Note Freeholders were
defined by Statute, from the Laws of 1786, as
persons possessing real property worth at least
60 pounds, above all mortgages and other
encumbrances.  Freeholders had voting rights in
elections and could also serve on jury panels.
This list, dated June 20 1800 is from the Town of
Neversink, now in Sullivan County
http//www.co.ulster.ny.us/archives/documents/free
holders.html
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• Many people felt this was unfair so in 1861 the
  Civil War was fought. This time 620,000 people
  died trying to earn the right to vote. In fact
  more Americans died in this war than all other US
  wars combined.

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• In 1865 the Civil War ended and five years later
  in 1870, the 15th Amendment to the Constitution
  was passed giving everyone the right to vote.
• Did I say everyone? I didnt mean everyone I just
  meant men. So if youre a man (part of definition
  age 21), please come join us on this side of the
  room as a member of the voting public.

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• Ladies, non-white male property owners
• Do you think this is right?
• Do you trust them to make 100 of the decisions
  affecting your future? When push comes to shove,
  do you think they will make choices based on
  whats best for them or best for you?
• Who has the power?
• Do you like it?
• Is it fair?

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People who fought for womens suffrage
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• Let me ask the African Americans here, though the
  15th Amendment gave you the right to vote in 1870
  did you have the power to vote?
• No. Voting is so powerful that many states used
  voter suppression efforts like literacy tests and
  other means to keep your voice from possibly
  changing the way things were in your communities.
  It wasnt until the civil rights movement and the
  eventual passage of the Civil Rights Act in 1964
  and the Voting Rights Act in 1965 that you had
  the power to vote, backed up by the authority of
  government. Without the power of enforcement any
  right is no more than just words on a page.
• And any right, not used, is equally as impotent.

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On August 6, 1965 the American Voting Rights Act
of 1965 was signed into law by President Lyndon
B. Johnson.

• Addition to this law was the 24th Amendment to
  the U. S. Constitution, ratified in 1964,
  prohibiting poll taxes as a qualification for
  voting in federal elections.

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• So here we are, the late 1960s and yet still
  none of YOU can vote. Why?
• Because until 1971 how old did you have to be to
  vote? 21. But what
• was happening in the late 1960s and early
  seventies? We were in a
• conflict in Vietnam, right? And during this
  conflict, with what method
• was the government finding soldiers to fight?
  The draft, right?
• So the government was saying that at 18 you were
  old enough to die for
• your country but you werent old enough to take
  part in the decision to
• elect those people who were going to send you to
  fight?
• Is this right? Is this fair?

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• People your age at the time didnt think it was
  fair either and they protested and also worked
  with leaders in Congress to pass the 26th
  Amendment to the Constitution in 1971, reducing
  the voting age to 18 in all states.

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• Oregon objected to the 18-year-old limit, as well
  as other provisions of the 1970 Act (it also
  objected to a prohibition on literacy tests for
  the ability to vote). In Oregon v Mitchell (400
  U.S. 112), a sharply divided Supreme Court ruled
  that the Congress had the power to lower the
  voting age to 18 for national elections, but not
  for state and local elections. The case was
  decided on December 1, 1970. Within months, on
  March 23, 1971, the Congress passed the text of
  the 26th Amendment, specifically setting a
  national voting age, in both state and national
  elections, to 18. In just 100 days, on July 1,
  1971, the amendment was ratified.

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• So now, look around you. In the United States
  today every person regardless of their race or
  gender everyone has the same right to vote. You
  have the power. One person one vote!
• Is this fair?
• Do you like it?

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Questions for First Voters
What are the requirements to register?
You must be a United States citizen 18 years old
by election day and a resident of your county,
city, town or village for a least 30 days before
Election Day.
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How do I register to vote?
BY MAIL Mail registration forms are available
from your county Board of Elections, town and
city halls, post office, political party, various
state agency offices and the League of Women
Voters. A new federal law requires persons who
register by mail for the first time to provide
identification. Identification means a current
NYS drivers license or the last four digits of
your Social Security number. If you do not have
a current NYS drivers license, you need to
provide the last four digits of your social
security number. If you do not have either, you
may provide a copy of a valid photo ID, OR a
current utility bill, bank statement, government
check or some other government documentation that
shows your name and address.
Completed forms must be mailed to the county
Board of Elections at least 25 days before
Election Day. Mail registration forms can also
be obtained by downloading them from the New York
State Board of Elections Web site
(http//www.elections.state.ny.us). Online
registration does not exist in New York State.
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REGISTRATION IN PERSON You can register at your
Board of Elections ofice any business day. Some
counties hold local registration days. Most
county Boards of Elections will mail a special
postcard to you noting that you are reigstered
and telling you where you vote (your polling
place). If you dont get a card within 4 to 6
weeks after completing your application, call
your Board of Elections to see if your
application was processed. However, if you do
not receive a card and believe you are
registered, you can still vote by affidavit
ballot.
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Can I register to vote before I turn 18?
You may pre-register when you are 17 years old,
but you must be 18 by Election Day to vote.
I am on parole from prison for a felony
conviction. Can I vote?
No. Individuals in jail, prison, or on parole
for a felony conviction cannot vote. Once parole
is completed, you will be eligible to vote.
I am in jail awaiting grand jury action. Can I
still vote?
Yes, the following list indicates individuals who
are eligible to vote those convicted of a
misdemeanor those currently in jail awaiting
grand jury action, trial or disposition of a case
but not convicted of a felony those convicted of
a felony who do not receive a sentence of
imprisonment. You should register to vote in the
county of your permanent address. List the jail
or prison address as the place where you receive
your mail temporarily.
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Im homeless and live in a shelter. Can I vote?
Yes you can register to vote if you meet the
other requirements. You should list the address
of the shelter or other place where you regularly
stay. You will receive a postcard from the Board
of Elections at the address you list telling you
where to vote.
Will I ever have to re-register?
Your registration is permanent unless you move.
Name, address and party enrollment changes can be
made by submitting a new registration
application. If you move within your county or
within the City of New York, you need only to
send your county Board of Elections a simple
change of address postcard.
Do I have to choose a political party when I
register to vote?
No, it is your choice. Just mark the appropriate
box. HOWEVER, declaring a party allows you to
vote in that partys primary election which is
open only to party members. Also, only enrolled
party members can sign nominating petitions,
which are circulated by candidates seeking public
office. You do not have to vote for your partys
candidates in the general election. You may vote
for any candidate from any party.
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What is a Primary Election?
A primary is an election that takes place within
each of the political parties before the general
election. When two or more members of one
political party wish to run for the same position
(State Senator, for example) the votes of party
members in the primary will decide which will be
the partys candidate. If there is only one
candidate running from a party, there is no
primary.
What do I need when I go to vote?
You must be registered. If you do not provide
identification with the registration form, you
will be asked for it the first time you votes.
Acceptable forms of ID include a valid photo ID,
OR a copy of a current utility bill, bank
statement, government check, paycheck or other
government document that shows your name and
address
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When are Elections Held?
Primary election in New York State are held on
the second Tuesday in September. Generally polls
are open from 12 noon to 9 pm. General elections
are held on the first Tuesday after the first
Monday in November. Most polling place are open
from 6 am until 9 pm some, however, open at
noon. Check with the county Board of
Elections Voting on school budgets and the
election of school board members usually occurs
on the same day in May throughout New York State.
Some village and town elections are help in the
spring.
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What can I do if I am not permitted to vote?
If you believe your are eligible to vote, but
your name is missing from the poll books, you are
ENTITLED to an affidavit ballot, which is a paper
ballot. Inspectors must provide with this ballot
after they verify that you live in the election
district. After the election, the Board of
Elections will check its records and your vote
will be counted if you are eligible to vote.
Your county Board of Elections must notify you as
to whether or not your vote was counted
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Absentee Voting
Can I vote if I wont be home on Election Day?
Yes. Any qualified registered voter may vote by
absentee ballot if unable to vote in person due
to absence from town during voting hours,
illness, physical disability, or active U.S.
military service. An application for an absentee
ballot must be requested from the Board of
Elections by mail no later than 8 days before
Election Day, or in person until the day before
Election Day. Absentee ballots are available for
both primary and general elections Your ballot
must be postmarked by the day before the election
or hand delivered on election day.
What if I join the military and get sent overseas?
There are special rules to make it easy for
members of the Armed Forces to vote. Every unit
in the Armed Forces has a voting officer who has
a book explaining the voting requirements of each
state.
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If Im disabled, where can I vote?
Many polling places are now accessible to the
handicapped. If yours is not, you may ask to
have your records transferred to a nearby
accessible polling place where the ballot will be
the same as in your election district. This
request must be made at least two weeks before
the general election. You may also vote by
absentee ballot. If you have a long-term illness
or disability, you can apply for a permanent
absentee ballot and you will automatically
receive your ballot before each primary and
general election.
What is a special presidential ballot?
If you move shortly before Election Day and
cannot met the residency requirements of your new
place of residence, you need not lose your right
to vote for a presidential candidate. You can
apply for a special presidential ballot by mail
at least 7 days before the election, or in person
at the county Board of Elections until the day
before the election. The ballot must be returned
to the County Board of Elections by the day
before the election.
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When I am in college out-of-town, how to I decide
where to vote?
When you are attending college at a school
outside your hometown, you may vote in person or
by absentee ballot in your home community. You
must be registered in your hometown district to
vote there. Many states allow college students
to register and vote where they attend college as
the Census considers college students to be
residents of their college communities. Check
with the town or city clerk or the county Board
of Elections in your college community to find
out if you may vote from your college address.
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Why Each Vote Counts
Oops, I spilled my coffee on the map
Original Gerry district, MA
Abe Lincoln riding a vacuum cleaner
ne Nassau County, Long Island
Your vote is especially important in a census
year because your representation in the following
years could be changed due to population shifts.
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Maffei, Daniel B., New York, 25th
Weiner, Anthony D., New York, 9th
Slaughter, Louise, New York, 28th
Lee, Christopher J., New York, 26th
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Don't ever think your vote doesn't count,because ...
By the Smallest of Margins... In 1800 - Thomas Jefferson was elected President by one vote in the House of Representatives after a tie in the electoral college. In 1824 - Andrew Jackson won the presidential popular vote but lost by one vote in the House of Representatives to John Quincy Adams after an electoral college dead-lock. In 1845 - The U.S. Senate passed the convention annexing Texas by two votes (27/25). In 1846 - President Polk's request for a Declaration of War against Mexico passed by one vote.
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• In 1867 - The Alaska purchase was ratified in the
  Senate by two votes 37-2, paving the way for
  future statehood.
• In 1868 - President Andrew Johnson was Impeached
  but not convicted because the Senate was one vote
  shy of the necessary two thirds required.
• In 1876 - Samuel Tilden won the presidential
  popular vote but came up one electoral vote shy
  and lost to Rutherford B. Hayes.
• In 1941 - Congress amended the active-service
  component of the Selective Service Act from one
  year to two-and-a-half years by one vote, 203 to
  202.
• In 1962 - Governors of Maine, Rhode Island and
  North Dakota were elected by an average of one
  vote per precinct.

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• In 1989 - A Lansing, Michigan School District
  millage proposition failed when the final recount
  produced a tie vote 5,147 for, and 5,147
  against.  On the original vote count, votes
  against the proposition were ten more than those
  in favor.  The result meant that the school
  district had to reduce its budget by 2.5
  million.
• In 1994 - 1.1 votes per precinct in Alaska
  elected Tony Knowles as Governor and Fran Ulmer
  as Lt. Governor out of 216,668 votes cast in the
  General Election.
• In 1994 - Republican Randall Luthi and
  Independent Larry Call tied for a seat in the
  Wyoming House of Representatives from the Jackson
  Hole area with 1,941 votes each.  A recount
  produced the same result.  Mr. Luthi was finally
  declared the winner when, in a drawing before the
  State Canvassing Board, a ping pong ball bearing
  his name was pulled from the cowboy hat of
  Democratic Governor Mike Sullivan.

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• In 1997 - Vermont State representative Sydney
  Nixon was seated as an apparent one vote winner,
  570 to 569.   Mr. Nixon resigned when the State
  House determined, after a recount, that he had
  actually lost to his opponent Robert Emond 572 to
  571.
• In 1997 - Dakota Democrat John McIntyre led
  Republican Hal Wick 4,195 to 4,191 for the second
  seat in Legislative District 12 on election
  night.  A subsequent recount showed Wick the
  winner at 4,192 to 4,191.  The State Supreme
  Court however, ruled that one ballot counted for
  Wick was invalid due to an overvote.  This left
  the race a tie.  After hearing arguments from
  both sides, the State Legislature voted to seat
  Wick 46 to 20.
• In 2000 - The Presidential election was decided
  by an extremely narrow margin.  George W. Bush
  won the state of Florida by just 537 votes,
  making him the next President of the United
  States.  Close to 6 million voters went to the
  polls in Florida.  It might not have been by one
  vote, but certainly every vote counted.

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• In 2008 - Stockton, California The Stockton
  Unified School Trustee Area No. 3 seat was won by
  one vote. Jose Morales received 2,302 votes while
  Anthony Silva received 2,301.
• In 2008 - Minnesota voters cast 2.9 million votes
  in their US Senate race that may be decided by as
  few as 200 votes (1/1000th of one )
• In 2010 - In Nevada, the Nye County Primary
  contest for County Commissioner District IV was a
  dead heat with both Butch Borasky and Carl Moore
  receiving 381 votes. In the Lincoln County
  Primary, the District Attorney race was decided
  by only 3 votes.

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In a democracy it's your vote that counts. In
feudalism it was your count who voted.