Nonvoters on why they didn't vote
Critical Analysis
Based on the data from the visual above, in 2020 when nonvoters were asked, what was their most common reason for not voting?
Based on the data from the visual above, in 2020 what portion of nonvoters reported not voting because registration problems?
Based on the data from the visual above, draw a conclusion (Use available information to formulate an accurate statement that demonstrates understanding based on evidence) about the main reason nonvoters did not vote in 2020?
Of the reasons for nonvoting from the list above, which of them seem to you like legitimate (reasonable) excuses for nonvoting?
61.3% of the voting age population voted in 2020, a 30-year high. This means that almost 4 out of 10 Americans over the age of 18 did not vote in 2020. If your class follows this trend, what number of the people in your classroom will not vote in elections after they reach 18 years of age?
Prior to 2020, 60% of voters cast their ballots in person on Election Day. In response to COVID-19, many states expanded mail-in voting and increased the early voting period to prevent crowding at the polls. With those changes, almost 70% of voters used nontraditional methods to cast their ballots in 2020. Explain how the expansion of nontraditional voting methods impacts voter turnout rates.
Make a claim about how the level of nonvoting impacts American Democracy.
Based on the visual below* what portion of young people (age 18-24) voted in 2020?
Youth voter turnout increased the most of any age group, rising by 10 percentage points compared with the previous presidential election. It’s the second federal election with an increase in youth voter turnout. In the 2018 midterms, youth voter turnout almost doubled from 2014. Yet young voters still turn out the least of all age groups. Seniors turn out at the highest rate, with about 72% voting in 2020, an increase of four percentage points from 2016. Make a claim explaining how low youth-voter turnout impacts government policy.
Imagine that you were sitting face to face with someone who said that although they were eligible to vote in the 2022 midterms, they were not going to vote. What would you say to them about whether they should vote?
Learning Extension
Check out all the voting and nonvoting data from USA Facts.
Action Extension
If you will be 18 years old by Tuesday, November 8 then take two minutes and register to vote online. If you are too young to vote this year then find someone who is old enough and convince them to register.
Visual Extension*
Women in the (117th) House!
Critical Analysis
According to the data from the charts above, how many women are currently members of the U.S. Senate in the 117th Congress?
Identify one trend you see regarding female composition of the U.S. Congress in the data from the chart.
Explain the main reason for that trend.
Describe one consequence of that trend?
There are 535 human members of the U.S. Congress, even if you count Ted Cruz. Currently, what percent of U.S. Congress members are male?
Roughly half of Americans are females, almost double the share of Congress that are females. Make a claim explaining why women are still so underrepresented in Congress.
Describe two policy changes that would likely result if suddenly the percent of male and female congress members flipped.
Explain why there are so many more Democratic women in congress than Republican.
Based on the data in this chart, what year do you predict Congress will become 1/2 male and 1/2 female.
Describe the gender makeup of you your state and district congressional represented, and make a claim about how much it impacts their lawmaking and representation.
Learning Extension
Read this short, short, short and sweet, sweet, sweet Five Thirty Eight report on the incoming class of female representatives.
Action Extension
Here is a list of the 26 (17D, 9R) women currently serving in the U.S. Senate. Share your list of the top three favorite female Senators with class.
Visual Extension
Over 1000 amazing AP Government bell ringers tagged and searchable by topic; plus activities, games, reviews, and more. Cancel at any time. Use promo code SIGNMEUP at checkout to get the first month of our monthly subscription for free!
Will Election Deniers Win the Election?
Critical Analysis
As shown in the data in the table above, Brookings identified 345 candidates on the ballot in November who have expressed election denial beliefs—false claims that the presidential election in 2020 was flawed. Candidates with a 10 or more point lead in election polling are rated with a High likelihood of winning. According to the data from the table above, what percentage of election deniers* are highly likely to win election in the upcoming November elections?
The 2022 midterms may well be the first elections ever where the elections themselves are on the ballot. Well over 300 candidates across a variety of races this fall are perpetuating former President Trump’s assertion that the 2020 presidential election was stolen from him and that American elections are deeply flawed. Although no one has ever found proof of widespread and/or systematic fraud in the 2020 presidential election (as former Trump Attorney General Bill Barr among others affirmed), the persistent and high-volume repetition by Trump and his high-profile surrogates has convinced many other Republicans that election was stolen. Why do you think so many candidates for office are asserting this election denial falsehood?
Over 60 Percent of Americans will have an election denier on their ballot in the 2022 election (see visual below*). Based on the visual above, how many election deniers to you think will win election in 2022?
The first group of election deniers shown in the visual below* consists of candidates for statewide offices —governors, secretaries of state and attorneys general— who, if they are elected, will have a great deal to say about how elections in their state will be run in the future. Describe how state officials involved in elections?
A second group shown in the visual below* are members of Congress. They have little control over election administration—a traditionally state-run function—but they do have an important role to play in the acceptance of presidential electors and related matters (such as if the presidential election should be thrown into the House of Representatives). The third group are state legislators whose role could be critical in passing legislation to reform the laws in the direction that the election deniers want. Of these three groups of candidates shown in the visual below*, which group has the biggest impact on how elections are run?
Imagine that election deniers won a large portion of their 2022 races. Describe how this would impact American politics and future elections.
I have decided to assert with zero evidence the claim that "Weird Al" Yankovic, American singer-songwriter and Nobel Peace Prize Laureate won the 2022 election. Additionally, I don’t like the Los Angeles Rams - those uniforms, ughh! I am considering asserting, despite all evidence to the contrary, that the Rams lost to the Bengals in the 2022 Super Bowl. Go Bengals! Describe the process you use to evaluate any claim, in this particular example, a claim that has no basis in reality.
Make a claim, explaining the connection between free and fair elections and democracy.
Throughout recent American history* (see below) there was a higher level of public trust in elections, and there very few prominent election deniers. Why do you think election denying has become so popular and what role has social media played in this?
If there was widespread fraud in the 2020 election, by now all the people investigating it would have found some evidence of this. Why do you think so many people believe this baseless assertion?
Learning Extension
Check out this Brookings Report on election deniers and the 2022 election. And you can use this FiveThirtyEight report to see how many election deniers are running for office in each state. University of Southern California Bonus: How to Evaluate Claims.
Action Extension
The easiest way to preserve American democracy is to vote for candidates that respect democracy and the sanctity of free and fair elecitons! Go online and Register to vote. If you are not old enough to vote, or already are registered, share this link with someone who needs it.
Visual Extension*
Super PAC Man
Critical Analysis
Political action committees (PACs) are organizations that raise and spend money to support candidates and influence elections. PACs can represent industry groups, labor unions, or individual companies. PACs spend money to run advertisements on specific issues or for candidates, finance get-out-the-vote drives, do research on election issues, and more. According to the data from the visual above, what were the total PAC disbursements (spending) on the 2020 election?
According to the data from the visual above, what has happened to Total PAC disbursements (spending) over the past twenty years?
What do you think explains that change in total PAC disbursements over the past twenty years?
How do you think that change in spending has impacted American Democracy.
In the 1970s, the Federal Election Committee (FEC) was created to regulate campaign finance and eliminate financial abuses in political campaigns. The FEC limits the size of political donations and requires reporting of campaign donations and spending. How does a government agency such as the FEC illustrate the interaction between the legislative and executive branches of government?
Several Supreme Court cases in the decades following its establishment limited the FEC’s regulations, often citing political spending as a form of free speech. How do these rulings illustrate the interaction between the federal bureaucracy and the judicial branch?
There are three different kinds of PACs under FEC rules and regulations: traditional, super, or hybrid. The rules for how much money a committee can receive in donations or how these committees operate are different depending on the type. Traditional PACs face both spending and donation limits. They can spend up to $5,000 on a candidate every election, up to $5,000 every year in contributions to other PACs, and up to $15,000 on national party committees. Individuals, other PACs, and corporations can donate up to $5,000 per year to a traditional PAC. Imagine you were CEO, entrepreneur - Born in 1964 - Jeffrey, Jeffrey Bezos and you wanted to influence American elections, what would be the biggest disadvantage of forming a traditional PAC?
Super PACs arose after the 2010 Citizens United v. FEC court decision (one of the 14 required Supreme Court cases), which struck down limits on independent spending. Also known as independent expenditure-only political committees, super PACs cannot directly contribute money to candidates, but can freely spend on political advertisements and independent election-influencing activities. They also do not face donation limits, meaning individuals or corporations can give an unlimited amount of money to super PACs. Let’s say you were Texas junior Senator Ted Cruz and you wanted to get lots of money directly from a Super PACs, what would be the biggest disadvantage of receiving funding from a Super PAC?
Hybrid PACs maintain two separate accounts: one account functions like a traditional PAC with contribution limits, and the other account functions like a super PAC, which only makes independent expenditures. Hybrid PACs were established after the 2012 Carey v. FEC case, which resulted in many traditional and super PACs reclassifying as hybrid PACs. Hybrid PACs are also known as Carey committees, due to the Supreme Court case that helped create them. According to the data from the visual below, what has happened to Hybrid PAC spending over the past three presidential elections?
As of Aug. 31, 2022, PACs have raised $6.15 billion for the current election cycle. By comparison, individual candidates have raised $2.4 billion, 39% of what PACs have raised. Draw a conclusion about the relative power of individual politicians and PACs.
Learning Extension
Learn more about the biggest funders of PACs and the highest spending PACS in 2022.
Action Extension
Enter your zip code or state at Open Secrets and learn more about campaign spending where you live.
Visual Extension*
Voting in Jail
Critical Analysis
The right to vote in the US relies on two requirements, being a citizen and being older than 18. And while it might be harder or easier to register to vote or cast a ballot depending on the state, there’s only one way someone can lose the right to vote entirely, and that’s through a felony conviction. Do you think felons should lose their right to vote?
More than 1.2 million people were in prison in the US in 2020, according to data from the Bureau of Justice Statistics. More than 99% of these prisoners lost their right to vote while incarcerated. According to the data from the visual above, In how many American states, districts, and territories can incarcerated people (people in jail) vote?
I have no idea what the answer to this question is, so this is purely speculative, but based on the fact that less than half of the people who are eligible to vote actually turnout to vote in elections, in the three jurisdictions that do allow incarcerated people the right to vote, what percent of people in jail do you imagine vote?
But what happens to someone’s voting rights after serving a prison sentence depends entirely on the state where they were convicted. In some states, their voting rights are restored after they are released from prison. In other places, they may permanently lose their rights. In 20 states, those with felony convictions automatically regain the right to vote when they are released from prison. This means formerly incarcerated people can vote while serving probation or while out on parole. These states represented about 34% of the total prison population in 2020. Based on the map (below middle)* draw a conclusion about the geographic area of these states.
Based on the data from the visual (below right)*, what region of the United States is most strict in extending voting rights to people who have committed felonies.
For formerly incarcerated people with felonies who do not qualify for automatic restoration of rights, they must petition the court or state government for their rights to be restored. In Virginia and Tennessee, this petition process is the only way to restore rights. Petitioning to restore voting rights can be easier or more difficult depending on the state. For example, in Virginia, only the governor has the power to restore voting rights. In other states the restoration of rights process can take months after an individual fills out an application. In Tennessee, the person with a felony conviction cannot fill out the form themselves. They must ask a probation or parole officer or other court official to fill it out on their behalf. A person’s voting rights can be permanently revoked for conviction of certain crimes. In some states, voting rights cannot be restored after a murder conviction, certain felony sex offenses, or election-related crimes. Why do you think these states make it so hard for people to restore their voting rights?
Voting is the difference between a democracy and an autocracy. In general, how difficult do you think voting should be?
Make a claim about whether people in jail should be allowed to vote after they serve their time in jail?
Some countries, such as Australia, fine people for not voting. What do you think would happen to American voting rates if we instituted a find for non-voting?
Would you advocate a non-voting fine in America, and if so what would it be?
Learning Extension
Check out all the USA Facts about voting and prison.
Action Extension
If you will be 18 years old by Tuesday, November 8 then take two minutes and register to vote online. If you are too young to vote this year then find someone who is old enough and convince them to register.
Visual Extension*
Midterm Election Turnout Rates
Critical Analysis
Based on the data from the visual above, in 2018, the most recent midterm election, what portion of the voting-age population voted?
Based on the data from the visual above, approximately what was the highest portion of the voting-age population that voted in any midterm election?
Based on the data from the visual above, describe one trend in voting-age population turnout in midterm elections over the past 50 years.
What do you think explains that trend in midterm election voter turnout?
Based on the visual below*, how does voter turnout in presidential elections compare to that of midterm elections?
What is one consequence of generally low voter turnout in midterm elections?
Based on the visuals below* how do demographic features like age and race impact voting turnout in midterm elections?
In many states felons cannot vote. Identify any other types of people who are not eligible to vote in American federal elections?
Based on the data above and below and your knowledge of American politics, what do you predict the voter turnout of voting-age population will be in the 2022 midterm elections?
Learning Extension
Listen to this NPR analysis of midterm election voter turnout.
Action Extension
If you will be 18 years old by Tuesday, November 8 then take two minutes and register to vote online. If you are too young to vote this year then find someone who is old enough and convince them to register.
Visual Extension*
#MeToo?
Critical Analysis
Based on the visual above, what percent of Americans who have heard of the #MeToo movement support it?
Based on the visual above, what percent of women who have heard of the #MeToo movement oppose it?
If you have heard of the #MeToo movement, do you oppose or support it it?
Overall, how does party affiliation impact attitudes about the #MeToo movement?
Five years after the “MeToo” hashtag went viral. Why do you think the #MeToo movement gained momentum in 2017?
Identify any change at the governmental/policy level that has resulted from the #MeToo movement.
Identify any change at the societal/work level that has resulted from the #MeToo movement.
Based on the data from the visual below, what is the top reason people support the #MeToo movement?
Based on the data from the visual below, what is the top reason people oppose the #MeToo movement?
Since the beginning of the #MeToo movement, Americans elected their first ever female vice-president (2020). In the same time period, the Supreme Court ruled against a women’s reproductive rights in Dobbs v, Jackson Women’s Health Organization (2021). Make a claim about how the #MeToo movement will impact the 2022 midterm elections.
Learning Extension
Read more of the Pew Research Center’s report on public opinion of the #MeToo movement.
Action Extension
If you will be 18 years old by Tuesday, November 8 then take two minutes and register to vote online. If you are too young to vote this year then find someone who is old enough and convince them to register.
Visual Extension*
Midterm Gender Gap
Critical Analysis
According to the data above, in the 2018 midterm elections, 59 percent of women — and only 47 percent of men — voted Democratic. What was the gender gap in 2018?
According to the data above, in what year was the gender gap - the difference in the percentage of women and the percentage of men voting for a given candidate or supporting a particular party - the lowest?
A higher share of women than men have voted for Democrats in every midterm election since 1980, and in the past two midterm cycles the gap has been even bigger. Why do you think women are more likely to vote Democratic than Republican?
Presidential elections happen every four year. in 2020, Joe Biden defeated Donald Trump. What is a midterm election and why are they important?
The conventional wisdom is that women are more motivated to vote this election season thanks to the Supreme Court’s ruling in Dobbs v. Jackson Women’s Health Organization — which overturned Roe v. Wade and ended the constitutional right to abortion. Based on the data from the visual above, the visual below*, and your knowledge of American government and politics, what do you predict the gender gap will be in the 2022 midterm elections?
Besides reproductive rights, there are all the other factors that influence how people vote. Inflation and the economy are other issues that still consistently show up at the top of voters’ priority lists, and that’s not good for Democrats. Even though the economic outlook has improved in some respects over the past few months, a recent NPR/PBS NewsHour/Marist College poll found that only 26 percent of Americans said that Democrats would do a better job handling the economy, while 39 percent said Republicans would do a better job. (An additional 20 percent said that neither party would do a better job, and 12 percent said they’d do an equally good job.) Make a claim about what will be the most important issue in the 2022 election.
What are some other factors apart from issues and events that can impact who wins an election?
Based on all the polling data above and below and your knowledge of the American political process, which party will win control of the U.S. House and the U.S. Senate in the 2022 midterm?
Turnout in midterm elections tends to be lower than in presidential elections. Why do you think that is?
Some Republican candidates across the country are scrambling to moderate their position on abortion. Supporting the recent Supreme Court decision in Dobbs v. Jackson might be a winner in a Republican primary election, but early signs are that it makes it harder to win a general election. Why do politicians often moderate their positions in general elections?
Learning Extension
Check out the FiveThirtyEight analysis of the 2022 midterm elections.
Action Extension
If you will be 18 years old by Tuesday, November 8 then take two minutes and register to vote online. If you are too young to vote this year then find someone who is old enough and convince them to register.
