Starters Jonathan Milner Starters Jonathan Milner

What one word do Americans use most to describe the upcoming election?

Critical Analysis

Find answers to the following questions using the visual above, any links below, your big brain, and your knowledge of American government and politics:

  1. What one word do Americans use most to describe the upcoming election?

  2. What one word do you use most to describe the upcoming election?

  3. What two optimistic words do Americans use most to describe the upcoming election?

  4. Six of the top ten words used to describe the election are words of uncertainty. Why do you think that is?

  5. Explain whether so much uncertainty will increase or decrease voter turnout.

  6. The polling data above comes from 980 registered voters. Why does the poll tell you that information and what does that information tell you about the poll’s reliability?

  7. A New York Times/Siena College poll from February found that 19 percent of voters held an unfavorable view of both President Biden and former President Donald J. Trump. And 29 percent of Americans believe that neither candidate would be a good president, according to a March poll from Gallup. If so many people are so opposed to these two candidates, explain what it is about the American electoral system that explains how these two very unpopular people are the candidates from their party?

  8. To win an election you must turn out your base (the core supporters of your party) and also win the people in the middle (independents and swing voters). According to the recent the Times/Siena poll above, about half of Republican primary voters are enthusiastic with Mr. Trump as their nominee, and about a quarter of Democratic primary voters said the same about Mr. Biden. Based on this information alone, who has the advantage in the election?

  9. Fewer than 15 percent of voters in the Times/Siena poll above reported that they were happy, excited or hopeful about the upcoming presidential election. Voters who said they planned to vote for Mr. Trump were about twice as likely to say they felt happy about the election as those who were planning to vote for Mr. Biden. Why do you think so few people are happy about the election?

  10. Imagine you were a Trump or a Biden campaign official. Explain how you would use the information from the chart above in the campaign.

    Write and Discuss

Take ten minutes to write about the question at the top of the page and then discuss with your classmates.

Act on your Learning

Ask people you know (online or in person but not in class!) what word they would use to describe how they feel about the upcoming election. Share the most common responses with your classmates then compile a class list detailing the most common feelings about the presidential election.

Get Creative

If the American voter were a video game character, what would they be?

Learning Extension

Read the latest Pew Research Center Report on American political parties and our divided nation.

 
 
 
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