very first medicine. that is what he is known for. the fact is john marshall was a soldier in the revolutionary army, very important and judge advocate general of the army and served at valley forge and leading figure in the virginia house of delegates and probably the indispensable man in the ratification debates. he was the guy who persuaded the majority of virginian delegates to go along with ratifying the constitution. he was in important diplomat to brands and secretary of state. all those contributions that he is made as a founding father get forgotten because of the significance of his one decision and marbury versus madison. >> sunday night at eastern on c-span's q&a.

>> election day getting closer, three weeks away and were joined by jan leighley professor of public affairs government. here to talk about the segment why people choose not to vote. in general, with the common thought is that midterm elections are lower turnout but why do people -- what are the reasons they get for not voting? >> a lot of times their port they don't have information about the election and they don't care or they don't want to have anything to do with politics. it is not worth the time or effort to make it to the polls on election day. >> look at the midterm turnouts as lower than the presidential election, has that always been the case? historically, have turnout levels in the united states below? >> in terms of the terms, yes. there's about a 20 percentage

point difference lower turnout in the terms compared to presidential elections so this is common. there is far less information and campaign excitement and mobilization activities in the midterms. historically in presidential elections the turnout has not declined systematically but it tends to go up a little bit or down a little bit depending on the campaigns and issues of the thday. whether the economy is good or not and other factors influencing individual decision. >> based on election of a new president in 2016 and the issues surrounding the 2014 midterms what is your sense of looking at it three weeks now how turnout will be this year? >> most people are expecting high turnout. the question is whether there might be a partisan difference in that turnout. there is often times is where the supporters and presidential election of the wedding party

ctand those supporters stay hom. they won in the previous presidential election and either satisfied or disappointed by what happened so they don't go that extra effort to make it to the polls in the midterm. oftentimes turnout is higher for the opposing party. the out party. there activists and voters simply want to make a differen difference. >> host: in terms of turnout is there any data to support or show the effect of a couple of things where states or voter id is required or states where there are fewer polling places that maybe historically have been or any data on the impact of hacking another tampering election systems? >> guest: know nothing systematic on hacking issues but on the voting laws were

collecting a fair amount of evidence that suggests these changes, make it more difficult. weather closing precincts or having them further away from your home or place of business can have a negative effect on turnout. but why the laws oftentimes have a negative effect on turnout and you are making it more difficult for people to turnout. it's easier to stay home. the interesting thing about photo id is sometimes there's a counter mobilization effect. if it becomes a political issue so while the adoption of a law might decrease turnout if more groups try to mobilize voters saying trying to take your voting rights away you will see people respond to that. >> host: what to be compared to the rest of the world in terms of voter turnout? >> guest: are turnout generally is lower in a presidential election. but that has to do with the details about election laws and

election districts and such and so it's not especially but we are different but not necessarily unique. >> host: our guest is jan leighley professor of government and public affairs, school of government and public affairs and government at american - university. joining us this morning to talk about the upcoming election in particular why people don't vote. would like to hear from you. if you have never voted and election here's the phone line to use. t we love to hear from you and love to hear why you choose not to vote in elections. the other lines are like this. if evil in some elections -- and if you vote always, regularly, that's -- particularly those of you who don't voteer -- we also like to hear from you on twitter or facebook page at c-spa wj. washington post friday had the

story that shows their poll that appears the voters appear ready to turnout numbers to beat 2014 and they write that three weeks before the critical midterm election voters are expressing thing infinitely more interest in turning out than they were four years ago according to the post in abc poll. enthusiasm is up across all democratic groups but the increases are greater among younger adults, not white voters and those who say they are in favor for democrats in the house are typically younger and nonwhite voters underrepresented in these midterms? >> guest: young voters are especially under represented. we compare voters in presidential elections to midterms it's the younger voters who lose their voting power because there turnout rates are so much lower than those of older adults. that has been a historical pattern that really changed or a

bump up in younger turnout, youth turnout since obama's first election. that was about it. >> host: story this morning from usa today, frontpage, record 29 million hispanics eligible to vote in more than 29 will be eligible to vote in november midterm elections. it makes up 12.8% of all voters all-time highs. critical it could prove critical as they win one or both chambers of congress. they write that that overall increase is covered by the fact that hispanics have historically underperformed on election day compared with white and black voters according to analysis by the pew research center. we are all waiting for jan leighley on her line for those who sometimes vote, alexandria, virginia from charles welcome to the washington journal.

>> caller: good morning. i tried to vote every chance again. i did ten years in iraq and afghanistan as a civilian contractor and i wasn't always able to get my absentee ballot otck and forth across the atlantic ocean in time but other than that i almost always vote. one thing i'd like to say is people don't realizes the reason why we vote the first tuesday in november is so the farmers can get their crops and at the end of the summer and voting on the weekends is a sin. i'd like to see election day moved to april 15 to help focus the mind on the election. another thing. my grandfather was born in 1900 and he thought franklin roosevelt hung the moon and i always thought that, you know, voting was very important. be to budget. >> host: thank you. he thought that was interesting

history of why the first tuesday in november. >> guest: yes, you are historical details are excellent on that point on the historical reasons midterm elections when we have. there is actually just been -- i believe there was a letter in "the washington post" this week proposing that academics have proposed and started a group with betsy sinclair and mike alvarez and starting a group to move to make election day a holiday and many western european democracies election day is either on the weekend or a holiday where people have off work which means it canan make voting easier and if we want higher turnout making it easier to make a difference. >> host: must go to centerville, virginia, ace who always does. good morning, ace. >> caller: good morning. i always thought because one,

one of the only things that voting and jury duty are one of two things. the constitution asks this of us as citizens so the idea and i am a prior servicemember also. having served my country as in the military was a huge responsibility. i think it is beholden on us as citizens to do our duty as american citizens and that is to vote and serve on jury duty. when i hear people say that they don't vote for whatever reason then why are you a citizen of the united stateset. >> host: on his point, professor leighley, there's not a constitutional obligation but is it your sense that that history there's been a civic duty to vote? >> guest: it's been widely held

belief in older individuals actually ever seen a big generational difference here and assure from thinking of voting is a duty and that is what key part of citizenship and responsibility and being a member of a community among younger individuals howeverr,er there's not nearly the support for that notion. it is instead a choice you make and it's a choice among a set of actions one might take or not take to try to influence politics or to simply express your opinions. there's nothing especially unique or duty-bound about casting about. >> host: from your report, who both now, this is a look at the chart of the turnout by age and off year elections going back to 1974 through 2010 and that age group so the older age group 61-75, 76-84, right here at the top in terms of off year election turnout and not

surprising 18-24 down here but the start team to be the flow when you look at income brackets and the slight decline of turnout from midterms here-2006, 2010 we don't have 2014 in their so we are seeing that slight downward trend. >> guest: i think that reflects the issues of the day. whether were in a second term of a presidential election and it also emphasizes the more effort political candidates and parties put into getting people to vote because of the issues at stake or control of the house at stake or whatever the politics of it is when the lead candidates, parties, independent groups tell people they need to vote and as people they need to vote and try to give them information that we see increases in turnout. >> host: typically on a congressional off year election is the party out of power, do they have the upper hand in

terms of the enthusiasm for turning out the vote? >> guest: yes, they do. quite often there is a perception that policies and actions of the party in power over the past previous two years has either threatened them or stand in opposition of those actions and so they step up and try to do something about that. >> host: we set aside a line for those never vote and go to halley in chattanooga, tennessee. good morning. tell us why you don't vote. >> caller: the reason i don't vote is because i don't trust the system it back in the days we didn't have all that technology that we have today and it's a way we can get information on you but i don't trust the system. >> host: how common is that response? >> guest: i don't know how common it is for technology but it was a it is confusing and frustrating to figure out how to vote. each state is different and the requirement and the technology reand some states spend more moy

for local voting election administrators who try to do the best to make it easy and safe and secure for individuals to vote but it can be frustrating to know how that system is set up in your particular precinct. >> host: from new york, a dominic who is a regular voter . >> caller: hello, good morning. this year is more important than any other year because we have congress and the senate that want to stop this president every time. it's unbelievable. i'm begging my kids and they're all democrats are begging them to vote republican. we can't stop [inaudible] i had a party at my house father's day and everybody that came over had to bring aid [inaudible]. three years ago every person that came was worried about losing their home.

everything is going well we havi to go out and keep the sky and his agenda moving. i'm hoping everyone does the right thing and vote republican. it's very important today than it ever was and have a great d day. >> host: thank you, dominic. new paragraph, connecticut, next up, you're on the line. go ahead, paul. >> caller: yes, first, thank you to c-span and washington journ journal.: i called in on the sometimes the line and although i am client for connecticut i'm registered to vote in manhattan. sometimes the candidate that is up for election because of the number of registered democrats in manhattan it is almost futile to vote, so to speak. that is why i sometimes would not bow. my current representative, jared

nadler, he will win the upcoming election by 75%. so, it's a lopsided situation. i would like to say for those people who are interested in voter participation, i believe donald trump is going to increase voter participation to heights never seen before and that is both pro and against him. for that he voter participation, i think him. >> host: okay, paul, thank you. >> guest: i think that it certainly is true that one of the things donald trump is done in a distinctive way with what the caller suggested is that he's given individuals a choice on some policies and a variety of important public policies, immigration, economy and such.

he's making very clear choices and taking distinctive stands that in years past presidential candidates have either not offered or weren't willing to make the claims or offer the arguments that he has made. citizens do have a choice. m >> host: you teach a number of students who are may be voting for the first time, some of them, what you hear from them? you hear some won't vote. >> guest: american university has a highly engaged undergraduate student body and this year are quite enthusiastic about getting out to vote. yeah, they will be there, i believe. >> host: a tweet here from jason who says -- georgia saw a new surge of voters and says that they went to the polls in 2015 most voters have been

registering including increase in the voters and women and minority groups that tend to lean democratic and much of that increase rates the wall street journal is a result of a change to driver's license form and acted two years ago a departing governor the republican with a change. new applicants, renewals and automatically registered to vote unless they opt out and has thao that on medicalization become popular across the country? >> guest: it has been adopted by an increasing number of states. there's been some side effect of automatic registration but we have to remember just because you make it automaticbe to be registered doesn't necessarily connect you to the candidates or issues and campaign. the georgia case is an important one where the candidate for governor has invested a lot of resources in door-to-door mobilization of getting those registered voters to cast their ballot. it's a two-step process. if you have both things in place

to have your voice heard. >> host: a bit more on the georgia story. this from the associated press about voting rights and write that in terms of reregistering they talk about a woman who try to reregister but a month left before the november election to decide the governor's race and this woman application one over 53000 sitting on hold with georgia secretary of state office and unlike many people on the list which is probably black according to analysis by associate press not know their voter education has been held up and to point out secretary of state in georgia is a republican candidate for governor. >> guest: yeah, those registrations are on hold because they don't exactly match identification that has been provided. voter lists are notoriously error filled and very difficult to match to driver's licenses especially for unique names for it rather than john or susan.

so, there are a lot of issues with the client that exact mat match. >> host: to hear from sam in baltimore, maryland, go ahead who always votes. sam, hello. >> caller: yes, i'm a second year law student from the university of maryland and always voted and one of the things i studied in my undergrao degree at george washington university was additional election and very few people participate and that begs the question of whether it's a democraticha contest. the same thing with midterms. when you only have 40% or less of the eligible electorate turning out is that really a democratic contest? i think those who don't vote are abdicating a civic duty as some of the other callers have . >> host: what your thought on his take on the judicial elections because certain localities and states will see a lot of that? >> guest: judicial elections are tough. you shift from appointments to

elections in their driven by spending and we don't know exactly who's doing the spending and individuals on a daily basis have very little information in the media or in communities about the actions or decisions or effectiveness of judges so. one might argue that the appointment system provides a different set of judges that might be superior to low turnout elections which can be might not represent the full body of potential voters. >> host: this is david in danville, illinois. good morning, you're on with jan and one. >> caller: good morning. how are you folks, today? >> host: fine, thank you. >> caller: great. i tried calling at different times to talk to you folks- and first time getting through. i'm a 60 -year-old white male and never voted throughout all the years, shame on me.

but because of everything that i have seen going on throughout the past year especially from the democratic seniors i am totally disgusted in their behavior and i feel i need to do my part in voicing my vote and you can do it through the computer you can do it in person so i urge everybody, please, get out and vote. >> host: david, will you do it in person or do it online there in danville? >> caller: i did the better part of it online but will receiving paperwork. i am disabled so i will receive paperwork at my home to be able to vote and mail it back in. >> host: you pointed out the midterm elections are run by date and will present on the

ballot so what is the status of that absentee programs across the country, who does the best? >> guest: absentee programs are widely supported and valued and the state election officials know how to manage those and it's been very effective. o one of the challenges is getting those ballots back on time so they are and will be counted. some citizens are doubtful that that can happen or won't trust the mail service so one interesting trend we are seeing is citizens or voters are more likely to drop after the balance off at election boxes or election locations rather than put them in the mail because once you drop them in the mailbox there not sure they will arrive or that is the percepti

perception. >> host: thoughts on voting experience. this is tweeted. back to call, good morning, robertson. >> caller: good morning. it's amazing to me how the same bad ideas can be bandied about in elections and the only essential answer is is to rename election day procrastination date and replace it with election season as we have in maryland and i believe other states have. and right now on election day is election three-hour window for about 40 million people. in philadelphia the lines were two hours long. i can't believe that has not been challenged after the court

and the case is not been made that basically democracy is a sham in that a lot of people are deprived of the opportunity to vote just because the window is so short. if you want for example the one repeated suggestion about election day being a holiday, that would cost the economy billions of dollars. ... dollars for a state to provide an election season. host: we will get a response. aret: election officials trying to do a lot with limited resources and having to guess a lot. when are all the people going to show up? -- show it. guest: we have studies. >> guest: and make it easier for citizens to vote.

i think if there were a problem, one night think they'd want to solve them, and that's a practical issue. the other point about maryland has an extensive early voting season. one of the kind of interesting implications of this is there used to be single election day, and election day was a community event -- >> host: yeah. event. you knew the members of your community. one of the consequences of these convenience election reforms is thousand we vote at home with our absentee ballot, and we drop it in the mail, and less of a connection to the local community. >> host: jan leighley is here, we'll get one more call. goshin, indiana, this is daniel who, like size, does not vote. --ll likewise, does not vote.

>> caller: i never voted because it seemed like, well, it doesn't really matter. but after last year or two years agoea the presidency and after this whole caf of gnawing case and how everything's gone, i don't know, i jutte kind of felt it was my duty. and i had a hot of friends who have never voted who are voting for the firstr time this year. and we hear so much, oh, how the democrats are going to outon voting --ea outwin on voting da. everybody's fired up to go voting. and my other question was why is it such a big issue to have a photo id to be able to vote? that hard to have. >> host: so you're in favor of that, daniel, then? >> caller: yes, i am in favor. i don't understand why that's an

issue. >> host: and do you have that in indiana, photo id? >> caller: yes, we do. >> host: okay. thanks for that call. >> guest: one of the challenges, i think you're right, for many people it is not -- it is something we already have or have attained, and so offering that photo id does not impose an additional cost. but for some individuals -- people who don't drive, perhaps more rural residents, older individuals in their 70s, 80s, 90s might not have the paperwork that they need or have official documentation. and the costs might not seem as easy as what you might expect. so if people get frustrated opabout stranding in line on election day -- standing in line on election day, imagine trying to sort out your records to get the photo id and to have to do

that a month in advance of election day or two or three months. so true, for many people a photo the id is just part of modern life but not for everyone. >> host: last quickif question r you, we had two callers who said this is the first election they're going to vote in. is it your sense we're going to see an uptick in first-time voters? >> guest: absolutely. it's about the politics. >> host: jan leighley, american university, thanks for being with us this morning. >> guest: thank you. >> democratic congressional campaign committee educative director dan sena and john roger are getting ready to participate in a discussion entitled battle for the house, midterms 2018. it's being hosted by georgetown university's institute of politics and public service. live coverage here on c-span2. [inaudible conversations]