In this concise, lively look at the past, present, and future of voting, a journalist examines the long and continuing fight for voting equality, why so few Americans today vote, and innovative ways to educate and motivate them; included are checklists of what to do before election day to prepare to vote and encourage others. Voting is a prized American right and a topic of debate from the earliest days of the country. Yet in the 2016 presidential election, about 40 percent of Americans—and half of the country’s young adults—didn’t vote. Why do so many Americans choose not to vote, and what can we do about it? The problem, Erin Geiger Smith contends, is a lack of understanding about our electoral system and a need to make voting more accessible. Thank You for Voting is her eye-opening look at the voting process, starting with the Framers’ perspective, through the Equal Protection amendment and the Voting Rights Act, to the present and simple actions individuals can take to increase civic participation in local, state, and national elections. Geiger Smith expands our knowledge about our democracy—including women’s long fight to win the vote, attempts to suppress newly enfranchised voters' impact, state prohibitions against felons voting, charges of voter fraud and voter suppression, and other vital issues. In a conversational tone, she explains topics that can confuse even the most informed voters: polling, news literacy, gerrymandering and the Electoral College. She also explores how age, race, and socioeconomic factors influence turnout. Ultimately, Thank You for Voting offers hope. Geiger Smith challenges corporations to promote voting, and offers examples of how companies like Patagonia and Walmart have taken up the task in a non-partisan way. And she reveals how get-out-the-vote movements—such as television star Yara Shahidi’s voting organization, Michelle Obama’s When We All Vote campaign, and on-the-ground young activists—innovatively use technology and grassroots techniques to energize first-time voters.

A fascinating look into America’s voting history that will inspire young people to get involved! This young readers’ edition of Thank You for Voting, from debut author and journalist Erin Geiger Smith, presents its information in clear, interesting chapters. Broken into three sections—The Stories of How We Got the Vote, Know Before You Vote, and How to Get People to Vote—this is a book that will appeal to kids 8 to 13 who are politically engaged. But it will also help a middle grader who is more focused on just finding good resources for history and social studies reports. Voting is a privilege and a right, but it hasn’t always been for many people. From the founding fathers to Jim Crow to women’s suffrage to gerrymandering—and everything in between—readers will get a look at the complex history of voting and become empowered to ask BIG questions like: —What can I do to support my favorite leader? —Who can I talk to about the issues I believe in? —How can I make a difference in my community? Every citizen has the right to vote. Let each one count!

A hilarious political satire by the creator of the bestselling Narwhal and Jelly series. Hey, you! Yes, you with the dazzling smile! The donkey wants your vote. So does the elephant. And each will do just about anything to win your support. Brag? Sure! Flatter? Absolutely! Exaggerate, name-call, make silly promises and generally act childish? Yes, yes, yes and yes. Soon, the tension mounts, and these two quarrelsome candidates resort to slinging mud (literally) and flinging insults. And what happens when the election results are in? Well, let's just say the donkey and the elephant are in for a little surprise--and a certain bewhiskered, third-party candidate is in for a first term!

The author presents an engaging, relevant and contemporary A-to-Z tour of the American electoral process. Paired with vibrant, child friendly illustrations pages like B is for Ballots, C is for Conventions, D is for Debates, F is for Fundraising, G is for Grassroots Efforts, and, most importantly, Y is for You, teaches that everyone has the power to make a real difference in their government (even kids!).

On cover, the word "right" has an x drawn over the letter "r" with the letter "f" above it.

This book focuses on the root causes of the generation gap in voter turnout—changes in media consumption habits over time. It lays out an argument as to why young people have been tuning out politics in recent years, both in the United States and in other established democracies.

Originally published in 2000, The Right to Vote was widely hailed as a magisterial account of the evolution of suffrage from the American Revolution to the end of the twentieth century. In this revised and updated edition, Keyssar carries the story forward, from the disputed presidential contest of 2000 through the 2008 campaign and the election of Barack Obama. The Right to Vote is a sweeping reinterpretation of American political history as well as a meditation on the meaning of democracy in contemporary American life.