VOTING

To what extent are individual citizens able to influence public policy? How important is voting in a democracy?

Academic Vocabulary: Voting -Used to express a wish to follow a particular course of action. Right - A moral or legal entitlement to have or obtain something or to act in a certain way. Responsibility - A moral obligation to behave correctly toward or in respect of. Democracy - A system of government by the whole population or all the eligible members of a state, typically through elected representatives Citizenship - The position or status of being a citizen of a particular country

Political Power: Influence over a government’s institutions, leadership, or policies

“While this definition may seem obvious, political power is necessary to achieve policy goals.  So who holds political power in the United States?” “This is the question we will be considering throughout the course of this unit.”

What does it mean to be a citizen? Citizenship means membership in a “body politic” or state. In a democracy, the citizens collectively own the government. Citizens have established their government solely for their own benefit and regularly have the opportunity to change it at the ballot box if it does not meet their needs and expectations. A citizen is person who is a legal member of a nation, country, or other organized, self-governing political community, such as any of the fifty U.S. states.

According to this definition, all power in a democracy ultimately resides with citizens. Sounds good in theory...”

“Well maybe we need to step back and take a closer look at what it means to be a citizen before we can assess how much relative power an ordinary citizen wields.”

Part 1: Suffrage Suffrage - The right to vote in political elections.

Guiding Question Prior to watching the upcoming video answer the following question: “How well should we protect right to vote?”

http://viewpure.com/P9VdyPbbzlI (4:30)

Graphic Organizer “how was voting protected since the birth of the US Constitution?”

Part 2: Voting a Right or Responsibility? Close Readings – Use the text to answer the questions on your split page graphic organizer

Formative Assessment: “Voting is listed twice, as both a right and a responsibility. Explain.” “To what extent is voting considered a right and/or responsibility?”

Part 3: Who Votes? Answer the table 5 questions on your split page notes

Part 3: Who Votes? Answer the table 7 questions on your split page notes

Formative Assessment: Create a bulleted list of three suggestions for increasing voter turnout.

Part 4: The Voting Rights Act

Part 4: The Voting Rights Act Text Research Using the sources identified in your graphic organizers, fill in the required notes

Part 4: The Voting Rights Act Formative Assessment: Is voting treated (by state legislatures, the courts, and the public) more like a right or a privilege in the United States? (Cite Evidence) •How well protected is the right to vote? (Cite Evidence) •Is a constitutional amendment protecting the right to vote necessary? Why? •How likely is such an amendment to be enacted?