1. Warm Up
List 2 or 3 different reasons people would give as to why they don’t vote

2. Political Socialization
How we acquire our political opinions, beliefs and values
Some values are lifelong
Others are fleeting
Examples?

3. Where Do Opinions Come From?
Primary Agents
Secondary Agents
Family
Peers
School
Media
Church
Leaders

4. Voting Rights Who could vote in the late 1700s?
What has happened to the electorate over the past 250 years?
What has happened to the power of the states over a citizen’s right to vote in the past 250 years?

5. Voting Rights 15th Amendment 1870 – 19th Amendment 1920 –
23rd Amendment 1961 –
14th Amendment 1964 –
Voting Rights Act of 1965 –
26th Amendment 1971 –

6. Voter Participation What is suffrage? What is voter turnout?
What is the voter turnout in most elections?
What is voter registration?
What is the point of registering?

7. Is it a problem that only 40-55% of people who can vote actually vote?

8. Voter Registration Think – Pair – Share
Should we have a government issued photo-ID to be able to vote?
Why would voter identification cards be supported by the Republicans and opposed by the Democrats?
Should the government make voting compulsory?

9. Frequency of Elections
How does the election schedule place a burden on voters?
Americans are asked to vote 2-3 times more
Why does our voting day matter?
How could we fix this issue?
Will this issue be fixed?
HoR every 2 years, President every 4, state and local elections are separate, city offices on odd years, primaries

10. Who Votes? Who votes in America? Education – Income – Age – Race –
Gender –
What else can be done other than voting?
Campaigning and Lobbying, Virtual Participation, Community Activities

11. Potential for Influence
How is individualism a reason to NOT vote?
What is the paradox of this statement and the reality?
What is political efficacy?
Those who have the most power in the marketplace also have the most power in the political arena.

12. Nonvoting Reasons Voter Registration Lack of Political Efficacy
Frequent Elections
Weekday, non-holiday coting

13. Ways to Make Voting Better
Change Election Day
Relax ID laws
Make E-Day a holiday
Easier Voting for the Disabled
Early Voting
Compulsory Voting
Mail Voting
Online Voting
Registration for Everyone
Make a propaganda poster for one of the ways to make voting better.