Low Information Voters "R" U.S.

AP US Government and Politics

What percentage of Americans know the party of their own US House Representative?

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AP US Government and Politics

1. How accurate was your prediction?

2. What least surprised you about this data?

3. What is the big story this data tells about Americans' political knowledge?

4. Why do you think that is?

5. What is one consequence of this?

6. Is this good news?

7. Paper or Plastic?

8. How different do you imagine this information was 100 years ago?

9. And how different do you think this information will be in 20 years?

10. Explain whether it really matters which party your representative is in.

11. What are two countries that you think would have higher knowledge of the political party affiliation of their representatives and what are two countries that you think would have lower knowledge of the party affiliation of their representatives?

12. What do you think the Founding Fathers would think about this?

13. Explain the connection between this data and reasons for the creation of the Electoral College.

14. We will henceforth refer to the approximately half of Americans who cannot name party of their representative as "low-information voters"! Can you name your representative's party?

15. Explain whether you want these "low information voters" to vote.

16. Should we have a basic test of knowledge, such as, "Please name the party of your current representative. Please name the capital of the United States. Please count to three." in order for people to qualify to vote?

17. Do you think these low information voters (LIV) can name the party of the current POTUS?

18. Do you think the POTUS can?

19. Based on the chart, which demographic groups are the most knowledgeable?

20. Based on the chart, which demographic groups are the least knowledgeable?

21. How do you think the lack of basic knowledge on the part of voters impacted the 2016 presidential election?

22. *Big Time Bonus Question* (to which you'll find the answer in the Bonus Scary Chart below.)* When asked, "When you voted for President, did you also have the opportunity to elect a U.S. Representative for your district?" what portion of American voters said, "no" or "I don't know"? And which answer is scarier?

23. Explain how low information voting impacts the following:

• Incumbents

• Political parties

• Policy

• Interest Groups

• Citizens

• Voters

• Democracy

Bonus Scary Chart*

Learning Extension

Read the entire WAPO article on voter knowledge!

Action Extension

Find out the name of your representative and share that amazing civic knowledge with at least 10 people who live in your district.

Random Low Information Voter Coffee Mug Extension

Cynical but interesting and worth thinking about Winston Churchill Quote Extension

AP US Government and Politics