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.

During the 2016 presidential election, America's election infrastructure was targeted by actors sponsored by the Russian government. Securing the Vote: Protecting American Democracy examines the challenges arising out of the 2016 federal election, assesses current technology and standards for voting, and recommends steps that the federal government, state and local governments, election administrators, and vendors of voting technology should take to improve the security of election infrastructure. In doing so, the report provides a vision of voting that is more secure, accessible, reliable, and verifiable.

Encourage teens to recognize the importance of voting and making their voices heard in the democratic process with this timely book focused on Supreme Court decisions that came down to a single vote. Chapters examine key Supreme Court rulings and explore how these cases have affected the lives and rights of U.S. citizens—especially teens. Using a straightforward, impartial tone, the authors take a close look at often controversial cases and at the history of voting in the United States. The emphasis is involvement in local and national elections as well as other ways to be an engaged citizen. With an accompanying digital discussion guide, the book is a perfect choice for teachers and youth leaders to offer teens in the upcoming 2016 presidential election cycle.

STARRED REVIEW! "This book helps children make the leap from abstract concept to concrete understanding of the importance of these decisions and why voting matters...an inspiring read."—School Library Journal starred review Discover why a vote—even just a single vote—is so important. Callie knows there's a presidential election coming up. Her class is having an election, too, about an issue that affects them all—the class field trip! She's about to witness first-hand what a difference a vote can make—even a single vote—and along the way will find out about the election process and why people have fought for the right to vote throughout history. A great kids’-eye look at the power of the vote.

This timely, relevant text is a comprehensive compendium of critical information about voting in the United States. It frames voting as an integral aspect of social work practice and provides concrete suggestions for how students can increase their involvement in expanding voter participation by marginalized groups. This book: Examines the current social and political context Introduces multiple perspectives on why voting matters Presents a brief history of voting rights in the United States Explains the nuts and bolts of campaigns and elections Discusses who votes and who doesn't, how people vote, and why Describes voter suppression tactics and identifies obstacles facing low-turnout groups Highlights strategies to expand voter participation Provides concrete examples of how students can help maximize voter participation Explores how voter engagement intersects with social work at all levels of professional practice The only social work textbook devoted entirely to the topic of voting, Promote the Vote: Positioning Social Workers for Action is the ideal supplement for classes in social welfare policy, policy practice, human rights, and social justice. Filled with research findings, practical information, and case examples, this book provides social work students and professionals with the knowledge, strategies, and tools to engage clients and their communities in the electoral process. With voting rights quickly becoming a flashpoint in the struggle for equity and justice, now is the perfect time for this valuable resource.

Voting is the expression of one's opinion or choice. This means voting can be anything from making a choice about what to eat for breakfast or who should be the next president of the United States of America. In the United States, people vote by casting a secret ballot. There are many situations that require people's votes in the United States. Citizens vote for people to hold public office in the local, state, and federal governments. This book explores what voting is through accessible language. Dynamic photographs of a wide range of people help readers make connections to the text.

Why our belief in government by the people is unrealistic—and what we can do about it Democracy for Realists assails the romantic folk-theory at the heart of contemporary thinking about democratic politics and government, and offers a provocative alternative view grounded in the actual human nature of democratic citizens. Christopher Achen and Larry Bartels deploy a wealth of social-scientific evidence, including ingenious original analyses of topics ranging from abortion politics and budget deficits to the Great Depression and shark attacks, to show that the familiar ideal of thoughtful citizens steering the ship of state from the voting booth is fundamentally misguided. They demonstrate that voters—even those who are well informed and politically engaged—mostly choose parties and candidates on the basis of social identities and partisan loyalties, not political issues. They also show that voters adjust their policy views and even their perceptions of basic matters of fact to match those loyalties. When parties are roughly evenly matched, elections often turn on irrelevant or misleading considerations such as economic spurts or downturns beyond the incumbents' control; the outcomes are essentially random. Thus, voters do not control the course of public policy, even indirectly. Achen and Bartels argue that democratic theory needs to be founded on identity groups and political parties, not on the preferences of individual voters. Now with new analysis of the 2016 elections, Democracy for Realists provides a powerful challenge to conventional thinking, pointing the way toward a fundamentally different understanding of the realities and potential of democratic government.