Social Studies Lab

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What demographic characteristic has the biggest effect on voting?

The Economist

Critical Analysis

  1. Of all the demographics presented in the chart above, which one is the most supportive of the Democratic Party?

  2. Of all the demographics presented in the chart above, which is the least predictive of how someone will vote?

  3. The biggest predictor of how someone will vote in a congressional election is their political party identification. According to the data from the chart above, after party affiliation, what demographic factor best predicts how someone will vote in a congressional election?

  4. Why do you think that is?

  5. Is America becoming more or less religious, and how will this impact future elections?

  6. Describe in which ways the data from the chart is true for you?

  7. Claim: when people vote based on their identity (race, ethnicity, gender) they are putting their identity above and before the country as a whole. Respond to the claim above with reason, logic, and facts.

  8. How much do you think the data from the chart will impact the 2024 presidential elections?

  9. How does the information from the chart impact how political campaigns are run?

  10. Why didn’t we know how Blacks and women and other minorities voted in the year 1916*?

*Fun Fact. In the 1916 election, incumbent President Woodrow Wilson defeated Supreme Court Justice Charles Evans Hughes by 600,000 votes. FYI: Wilson was the only Democratic incumbent president to win reelection between 1832 and 1936.

Learning Extension

Read The Economist’s analysis of demographics and voting.

Action Extension

Survey your own class and see how much the demographic features outlined in the chart hold true for your class. Share the results in class or online.

Visual Extension

See this product in the original post