1. Voting In An American Democracy Ben Ayers Jessica Godsey Lisa Litteral Jeanne Shiner

2. The History of Voting  Colonial Times: White males who owned property.  United States: Independent nation / States decide.  By 1830 all states had abolished property requirement and all White adult males could vote.

3. Voting: African Americans  1870  15 th Amendment: Prohibited the States from denying a citizen the right to vote because of race.

4. Voting: Women’s Suffrage  1920  19 th Amendment: Prohibited the States from denying a citizen the right to vote because of sex.

5. Voter Turnout in the 2000 Election  Let’s compare the national voter turnout from 1960-1996.  Pay close attention to the years that fall below the 50% mark. Was there some national “crisis” that may have caused a decline of voter turnout?  http://www.fec.gov/pages/htmlto5.htm http://www.fec.gov/pages/htmlto5.htm

6. Voter Turnout  As you can see from the chart, voter turnout over the years has fallen considerably.  We need to ask ourselves “why”?  Do we not care as a nation?  Do we not stress the importance of voting to our youth?  What can be done?

8. Election Results from the 2000 Campaign  http://www.fec.gov/pages/2000turnout/reg&1 o00.htm http://www.fec.gov/pages/2000turnout/reg&1 o00.htm http://www.fec.gov/pages/2000turnout/reg&1 o00.htm  This chart breaks down the registered voters and those who actually voted by states.

9. E-Voting  Will E-Voting solve the many issues of corrupt voting practices, or will it cause many more problems?

10. Is My Vote Safe?  E-voting easier? Safer? Is it worth the millions of dollars that it is costing the tax payers?

11.  In the Words of the Former U.S. Senator from Maine, Margaret Chase Smith, “Freedom unexercised may become freedom forfeited.”

12. Why People Don’t Vote  Not Enough Candidates  Tainted Electronic System  Lobbyists

13. Why People Don’t Vote Cont.  People Disconnected from Politics  Poorly Informed  Long Complex Ballots  Lost Trust in Government

14. Kids Vote  A program called Kids Voting USA started in 1988  Allows kids to learn about voting and take part in mock elections.  It is shown that this program helps increase parent voter turnout.

15. The Importance of Voting  Is one of our most cherished Constitutional Rights.  Allows people to express opinions.  Allows you to a certain degree to help determine the future.  Allows the people to have power.  Many elections either at the local or national level have been decided by a small amount.

16. The Issues...  Abortion  Gay Marriages  Death Penalty  http://www.issues2000.org/George_W__Bus h.htm http://www.issues2000.org/George_W__Bus h.htm http://www.issues2000.org/George_W__Bus h.htm  http://www.issues2000.org/John_Kerry.htm http://www.issues2000.org/John_Kerry.htm

17. Ways to Vote  On-line  Print off and Mail  High school or vocational schools  Motor Vehicles  Local Election offices  Public libraries  County Treasures