Voting Rates of the American Poor :: Politics

In The Working Poor, David Shipler reports that in the 2000 presidential alternative only 38 portion ofAmericans with incomes less than $10,000 ballotingd comp bed to 75 percent of those with incomes everywhere$75,000. (278) These sorts of statistics are non bound to 2000. In the six preferences from 1980 to 2000,the average voter turnout of volume in the bottom twenty percent of the income quintiles was 53 percent, whilethe top fifth averaged over 80 percent (Election Results). For the bottom fifth, the average syndicateincome was low $11,500 during each election year. The top fifth averaged an income close to$118,000 (DeNavas-Walt, et al.). The 2004 election was no different with 55 percent of the votes castby people with incomes of $50,000 and up. That way of life over half of the votes cast were by a crowd thatcontrols 70 percent of the nations wealth. In every election since 1964, when these statistics were firstlyrecorded, the South has had a lower voter turnout than the different tether major regions. The South hasalso consistently had the highest poverty count of the quatern regions. On average, there is a twenty-five tothirty percentage-point infract surrounded by the turnouts of the lowest and highest income quintiles in the coupled States (Cevrantes and Gluckman).Though it is clear the curt chiefly dont vote, the reasons for this are non so clear. cultivationseems to be biggest factor. Less than 40 percent of citizens without a high give lessons phase voted in the2000 election, compared with an 80 percent turnout for those with an advanced full stop. Thepercentages set up with to a greater extent teaching method. A connection to poverty can be force when considering thatover 13 percent of workers without a high school degree are in poverty, compared with only about 1percent of workers with a college degree. It should be noted these statistics concern only workers, andnot the unemployed. As a United States census report noted, Those with a high school education orless were more likely than those with more education to serve that they were not interested in theelection or felt their vote would not make a engagement.Even more significant among the unequal than the hint that their vote will not make a difference isthe touch sensation their vote may not be counted. Claims of voting irregularities, accepted or not, often keep the abject away from the polls. A outsized bloc of poor Americans disenfranchise themselves out of the fear ofbeing disenfranchised. With a learning ability that their vote will just be erased after leaving, the poor blockVoting Rates of the American Poor PoliticsIn The Working Poor, David Shipler reports that in the 2000 presidential election only 38 percent ofAmericans with incomes less than $10,000 voted compared to 75 percent of those with incomes over$75,000. (278) These sorts of statistics are not limited to 2000. In the six elections from 1980 to 2000,the averag e voter turnout of people in the bottom fifth of the income quintiles was 53 percent, whilethe top fifth averaged over 80 percent (Election Results). For the bottom fifth, the average householdincome was under $11,500 during each election year. The top fifth averaged an income close to$118,000 (DeNavas-Walt, et al.). The 2004 election was no different with 55 percent of the votes castby people with incomes of $50,000 and up. That means over half of the votes cast were by a group thatcontrols 70 percent of the nations wealth. In every election since 1964, when these statistics were firstrecorded, the South has had a lower voter turnout than the other three major regions. The South hasalso consistently had the highest poverty rate of the four regions. On average, there is a twenty-five tothirty percentage-point gap between the turnouts of the lowest and highest income quintiles in theUnited States (Cevrantes and Gluckman).Though it is clear the poor generally dont vote, the reasons fo r this are not so clear. Educationseems to be biggest factor. Less than 40 percent of citizens without a high school degree voted in the2000 election, compared with an 80 percent turnout for those with an advanced degree. Thepercentages rise with more education. A connection to poverty can be drawn when considering thatover 13 percent of workers without a high school degree are in poverty, compared with only about 1percent of workers with a college degree. It should be noted these statistics concern only workers, andnot the unemployed. As a United States census report noted, Those with a high school education orless were more likely than those with more education to respond that they were not interested in theelection or felt their vote would not make a difference.Even more significant among the poor than the feeling that their vote will not make a difference isthe feeling their vote may not be counted. Claims of voting irregularities, true or not, often keep thepoor away from the p olls. A large bloc of poor Americans disenfranchise themselves out of the fear ofbeing disenfranchised. With a mindset that their vote will just be erased after leaving, the poor avoid