Disenfranchisement

What state has the highest percentage of voting-age Black citizens who can't vote due to that state's felon disenfranchisement laws?

  1. How accurate was your prediction?

  2. How surprising is this information?

  3. What story does this map tell?

  4. What are two causes of this story?

  5. What is one consequence of this story?

  6. Is this good news?

  7. In Florida, Kentucky, and Tennessee over 1 in 5 blacks have been banned from voting. What are some other methods states are using to disenfranchise voters of color?

  8. How will this affect the 2016 election?

  9. Why do you think some states disenfranchise felons and others don't?

  10. If you were to write a headline or title for this map what would it be?

  11. Explain why the rules are different in each state:

  12. Explain whether states should make voting easier or harder:

  13. Explain whether you think felons should be disenfranchised:

  14. What does this have to do with federalism?

  15. Explain how our two major political parties differ on voter disenfranchisement:

  16. Do you see any regional patterns in this data?

  17. Explain why that is:

  18. Virginia Governor, Terry McAuliffe restored voting rights to 1000s of Virginians. If you were the governor of a state like Virginia, would you give ex-felons their right to vote back?


Learning Extension

Read the Vox story on Black voter disenfranchisement or get the entire report by the Sentencing Project.


Action Extension

Contact your state governor and tell them what you think about your state's disenfranchisement rate for Black voters.


Bonus Map

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