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The VoterObjectives Students will be able to identify the constitutional amendments and major federal laws that have shaped suffrage in the United States. Standards National Council for the Social Studies
X: Civic Ideals & Practices Materials Copies of the U.S. Constitution, or Internet access to the links provided, and other resources on the Civil Rights Acts and Voting Rights Acts Suggested time Two class periods Procedures 1. Ask for a show of hands of students who will be eligible to vote in this year's presidential election. Then ask students why it is that they all can't vote. Who can vote in this country? Are there any restrictions within individual groups of eligible voters? Who do students think should, or should not, be able to vote? What should be the voting criteria here in the United States? 2. Use the following quotation as a springboard for a discussion on voting criteria for elections in United States history:
3. Discuss the term suffrage. How do students feel about the right to vote? Do they look forward to that right? 4. Tell students to pretend that they have just turned 18 and are now eligible to vote. But just as they enter the voting booth on November 7th, they are thrown back in time -- first to 1800, then to 1850, 1900 and 1950. Would they have been able to cast their ballot at each of these elections? Would their parents have been able to vote? 5. Place students into groups of three or four. Furnish groups with the handout Backgrounder: Understanding Voter Eligibility and The American Voter, copies of the United States Constitution and provide either Internet access or text information on federal voting rights legislation. Tell students that as time-travelers hoping to vote, they must find out the voting laws and criteria for each time period. Allow students ample time to locate the appropriate voting amendments and suffrage provisions, and instruct them to take notes on their findings. Students should have these amendments/provisions on their lists:
Now that students have researched these provisions, revisit the question: For each given year, as a newly-turned eighteen-year-old, would you have been able to vote? Have students stand if they would have been eligible. Ask the class to calculate the percentage of the class that could have voted in each time-period. Repeat the exercise, but this time ask, "Would your parents have been able to vote?" 6. Review those laws and amendments that lifted restrictions within each time-period. Then discuss:
Wrap-up discussion: Do students see any need for further reform of voting rights today? What is "universal suffrage"? Would students say that suffrage in the U.S. is "universal"? Why/why not? As "new voters" in 2000, can students think of any legal obstacles to their right to vote? Discuss. ASSESSMENT Distribute the Voting History quiz. Have each student match the federal law with the aspect of suffrage that it supports. INTERNET RESOURCES
Constitution and amendments by section, amendment, links. Part 2- Voting-NowObjectives Students will determine the requirements for voting in their community. Standards National Council for the Social Studies VI: Power, Authority, & Governance X: Civic Ideals & Practices Materials Access to local Registrar of Voters or online voter registration resources Suggested time Two class periods Procedures 7. Remind students that they are pretending to be "new voters." Now that they understand some of the history behind their newly acquired right, why do they think so few eligible voters take advantage of that right today? Optional: Have students research the National Voter Turnout in Federal Elections, 1960-1998. Then, show Video: Voter Apathy. Following the video, have students read the second part of Backgrounder: Understanding Voter Eligibility and The American Voter. 8. Finally, use the discussion questions and activity from the January 6, 2000 CNN NEWSROOM classroom guide to explore voter apathy in America today. 9. Pose the following questions to your students: Should voters be able to vote over the Internet? Would Internet voting increase voter turnout? What are some of the benefits to Internet voting? What are some potential drawbacks? Show the Video Clip: Internet Voting. Following the video, use the discussion questions and activity from the November 9, 1999 CNN NEWSROOM classroom guide to delve further into the possible impact that the Internet might have on voter behavior. 10. Ask students: For those people who would like to vote, can they just show up at the polls on the day of an election and vote? Discuss: What do you have to do now in order to be able to vote in the next election? Ask students to consider what their first step would be in determining how to exercise their right to vote. Identify the various municipalities/counties in which your students live, and direct them to contact the local Registrar of Voters or online registration information to find out what they need to do. 11. As a class, brainstorm a list of questions students will want answered, such as:
Have each student research the answers to these questions and share his/her information. NOTE: If your students live in different municipalities, counties, or voting precincts, keep in mind that some answers may vary. 12. Discuss the reasons why registration is a requirement (except in North Dakota), and how far in advance of an election this must be done in your area. Point out that although suffrage is universal in the U.S., states do retain the responsibility for promoting smooth, fair, and accurate elections. One challenge polling places face is voter fraud. What safeguards against voter fraud have your students discovered in their research? ASSESSMENT Distribute to students the Student Handout: New Voter Welcome Pamphlet. Students should individually be able to fill these in for a grade. Aim for 70% mastery. INTERNET RESOURCES
Residency requirements for voting. |
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