Voting and Elections

Chapter 10

Daily Agenda (10/22/07)AppetizerHomework reviewGroups (3rd Period Only)/1st Period

(Tomorrow)Notes

Objectives:

4.06 Describe the benefits of civic participation.

4.07 Analyze costs and benefits of jury service, voting, seeking office, and civic action at the local, state, and national level.

4.08 Participate in civic life, politics, and/or government.

Qualifying to Vote

In order to vote you must be:18 years oldA resident of a state for a specified

period of timeCitizen of the USYou must be registered to vote

Qualifying to VoteOnly convicted felons or prisoners can

not vote.You can not be denied the right vote

regardless of: Your race Color Gender Age (After you turn 18)

Voter RegistrationYou must meet the qualifications and

register to vote before you can actually vote

Some states require you register at least 25 days in advance. Others, 10 days or less.

Registration Requirements vary from state to state.

Voter RegistrationSome States use different methods for

Voter Registration: Snail Mail In-person registration (Voter Registration

Rallies, High Schools, Libraries, On the Street)

E-mail Welfare Agencies DMV (Motor Voter Act)

Motor Voter ActPassed in 1995

Also known as the National Voter Registration Act

Allows voters to register when they renew their drivers licenses.

Voter Registration ContinuedRequires you to fill out a few forms.

On the forms they ask for: Your Name Address Age Phone Number Party Preference (Republican, Democrat,

Independent, unaffiliated, Third Party)

Voter Registration If you register as a Democrat or

Republican you can vote in a primary election.

There’s a first time for everything If you register for the first time you must

show: Proof of Citizenship Address Age

(Birth Certificate or Driver’s License)

Once registered you are assigned an election district based on your address.

At the pollsPolls are usually open between 7 am

and 7pm in North Carolina. Once you arrive a clerk asks for your

voter id, drivers license and a signature on an application. Note there should always be a sample

ballot posted somewhere for you to see it.

BallotsBallots are lists of candidates on which

you can cast your vote.Ballots can also list issues or proposals

on county ordinances.

Types of BallotsPaperScantronHole-PunchElectronic LeverComputer

Sample Ballot Exercise The following slides contain a sample ballot

similar to those found on a computer ballot. On a quarter sheet of paper (Share with your neighbors) you are going to vote on a Candidate running for office or on a proposal

Remember you can write-in a candidates name that does not appear on this ballot

Sample Ballot

*Your Choice for President of the United States

Fred Thompson (R)

Hillary Clinton (D)

Sample Ballot ContinuedYour Choice for Vice President of the

United StatesMike Huckabee (R)

Barack Obama (D)

Sample Ballot

*Choose one for US SenateElizabeth Dole (R)

Carl Levin (D)

Sample Ballot

Choose one for NC GovernorBeverly Perdue (D)

Roy Cooper (R)

Sample Ballot

Choose one for NC Superior Court Judge

Howard Manning (R)

Jane Doe (D)

Sample Ballot

Proposal: Schools in Robeson County should adopt a uniform policy. (Choose One)

Yes

No

Sample BallotProposal: There should be a .2% raise

in county taxes to help pay for a new Lumberton High School. (Choose One)Yes

No

Sample Ballot

Proposal: I-95 shall be converted into a toll road. (Choose One)

Yes

No

Absentee Voting Absentee Ballots are ballots that are sent out

to be people who can not make it to a polling place.

Generally these people are in the military or are temporarily outside the voting district they live in.

Absentee Ballots are usually mailed in and counted on Election Day or a day after.

Returns, Exit Polls, and CountingReturns- results from the elections.Exit Polls are polls taken from voters as

they leave the polling places.

Calling the Election

• Although polls close around 7:30 in the eastern time zones, voting continues in other time zones.

• Networks such as CNN, FOX News, MSNBC, ABC, NBC cover the election all night.

Calling the ElectionThey used computerized projections

based on the Election History to call races.

Election 2004

Your Vote MattersYour Vote is important!

In order to be informed about issues read newspapers, watch TV, listen to radio ads.

TV Networks such as Fox News, CNN, Headline News, MSNBC they run political coverage 24/7.

My Vote Matters!As you become an educated voter read

carefully! Know fact from fiction. Visit sites such as

the GOP (Republican Website) and the Democrats Homepage.

My Vote Matters Questions to Consider

Does the Candidate stand for things I think are important?

Is the candidate reliable and honest?Does the Candidate have relevant past

experience?Will the Candidate be effective in office?Does the candidate have a real chance

of winning?

Citizens who do vote:Have positive attitude towards

government and citizenship.The more education that a person has

the more likely they are to vote in future elections.

The higher the income, the more likely a person is to vote.

Final ThoughtsVoting gives you a chance to choose

your government leaders It gives you a chance to voice your

opinion on current government leadersYou can elect new leaders or express

your opinions on new issues.

Assignment (Honors and Law and Justice)On a separate sheet of paper, write a

paragraph about issues that are important to you as a voter. Some issues that you may want to think about are (Energy, Healthcare, Social Security, the War in Iraq) and what you would like your ideal candidate to do about these issues. *Due at the end of the Period)

Election Results- President

1st Period Hillary Clinton (D) 8 Fred Thompson(R) 11 Independent 3

Winner: Fred Thompson

3rd Period• Hillary Clinton (D) 10• Fred Thompson (R) 7• Independent: 7

Winner: Hillary Clinton

Election Results V.P.1st Period• Barack Obama (D) 13• Mike Huckabee (R) 6• Independent 3

• Winner: Barack Obama

3rd Period• Barack Obama (D) 16• Mike Huckabee (R) 6• Independent 2

• Winner Barack Obama

Election Results- NC Governor

1st Period• Beverly Perdue (D)

13• Roy Cooper (R) 6• Independent 3

• Winner: Beverly Perdue

3rd Period• Beverly Perdue (D)

16• Roy Cooper (R) 5• Independent 3

• Winner: Beverly Perdue

NC Superior Court1st Period

Howard Manning (R) 10

Jane Doe (D) 9

Independent: 3

Winner: Howard Manning

3rd Period

Howard Manning (R) 21

Jane Doe (D) 3

Independent 0

Winner: Howard Manning

US Senate1st Period

* Elizabeth Dole (R) 12• Carl Levin (D) 7• Independent 3

• Winner: Elizabeth Dole

3rd Period

• Elizabeth Dole(R) 17• Carl Levin (D) 6• Independent 1

• Winner: Elizabeth Dole

Proposal A

1st Period:

Proposal A:

Yes 7

No 15

Measure Did Not Pass

3rd Period

Proposal A:

Yes 3

No 21

Measure Did Not Pass

Proposal B

1st Period:

Yes 9

No 13

3rd Period

Yes 3

No 21

Proposal C

1st Period

Yes 1

No 21

3rd Period

Yes 5

No 19

The People Have DecidedHillary Clinton (D) President-ElectBarack Obama (D) Vice President-ElectGovernor Elect (D) Beverly PerdueSuperior Court Judge: Howard

Manning (R)US Senate: Elizabeth Dole (R)Proposals (None Passed)