# data[].attributes.body
A 3rd grade lesson teaching students the importance of voting and the priviledge it is.

3rd Grade Social Studies Standards

3.H.1.1 Explain key historical events that occurred in the local community and regions over time.

3.C&G.1.1 Summarize the historical development of local governments.

3.C&G.1.2 Describe the structure of local government and how it functions to serve citizens.

3.C&G.2.1 Exemplify how citizens contribute politically, socially and economically to their community.

By the end of this lesson, students will gain understading of the voting process, who can vote, and why it is important to vote.

# data[].attributes.body
This would be one of the Primary Sources I used to teach the lesson on voting importance. The story of Rosa Parks will give students an idea of just how far voting rights have come in America and just how important it is for your voice to be heard,

# data[].attributes.body
This secondary source from Scolastic will help explain to students what voting is, and how it came to be in the United States

# data[].attributes.attachment_link.readable_text
Voting is a process by which a person or a group of people expresses an opinion formally or officially. People vote in many situations (such as when students elect class officers at school). But voting usually refers to the act of citizens choosing candidates for public office or deciding on public issues and laws. In the United States, people vote at the local, state, and federal (national) levels.

Voting in the United States

To vote in the United States, one must be a U.S. citizen and at least 18 years old on election day. States also require various periods of residency before voting is permitted. Most states have two other rules as well: A voter cannot be a felon (someone who has committed a serious crime) or mentally incompetent.

In all states, voting is free. It is also voluntary; no one can be forced to vote. It is also a crime to try to stop another person from voting. Voting is private - no one can see how another person votes. And a person may vote only once in any election.

Each state, county, city, or ward (division of a city) is divided into voting districts called precincts. Before voting, people must register to vote in the precinct where they live. This consists of filling out a form with one's name, address, and other information. Registration ensures that people vote in the right place. People can usually register by mail.

Registration laws vary from state to state. In some states, citizens can register on election day. Typically, however, the registration deadline is several weeks before this. If a person fails to register in time, he or she will not be allowed to vote. Some states may require re-registration if a citizen misses a certain number of elections or changes address.

On election day, most voters go to a polling place to cast their ballots. This is usually a public building, such as a school, recreation center, city hall, or firehouse. Voters present themselves to the poll workers, provide identification, and receive the materials needed to vote.

Elections may take place at many different times. In the United States, general elections (for federal officials) are held every two years in even-numbered years. They are held on the Tuesday that falls between November 2 and 8.

In most cases, people vote by machine in private voting booths. Because elections in the United States are generally run by state and local governments, many kinds of voting machines and devices are in use. Today these have become increasingly computerized. A voter may touch a computer screen to cast a ballot or may fill out a computer-readable paper form.

People can also vote by mail; they submit what is known as an absentee ballot. Absentee ballots are especially useful for those who have difficulty getting to the polling place or who are away from their hometowns on election day.

After all the votes have been cast, poll workers and election officials count them (usually with help from computers) and declare which candidates and ballot measures (votes on public issues) have won. (For more information, see the article Elections.)

Winning the Right to Vote

In the early days of the United States, only about 120,000 people in a total population of more than 4 million could vote. Voting was usually limited to free white men who owned property and met certain religious qualifications. Eventually the right to vote became more widespread. By 1860 almost every state allowed all white men over 21 to vote.

After the Civil War (1861-65) the 15th Amendment to the Constitution gave the vote to men of all races. In practice, however, most black people in the South did not gain the right to vote until the civil rights movement of the 1960s and the Voting Rights Act of 1965. Women, after a long political struggle, won the right to vote in 1920 with the 19th Amendment to the Constitution.

The right to vote has been further extended in recent decades. In 1971 the 26th Amendment to the Constitution gave 18-year-olds the right to vote. More recently, federal law has guaranteed the vote to people with disabilities and to those whose first language is not English.

Another important advance in the voting process has been the secret ballot. This allows people to vote without worrying about retaliation from others, including those in power. At one time, voting was not private. Before the Civil War, U.S. citizens often said their votes out loud or voted by raising their hands. After the Civil War, printed ballots became common. However, since these were distributed by individual candidates or parties and were often different colors or shapes, it was usually possible to tell whom someone was voting for.

It was not until the 1890s, when the Australian ballot came into use, that voting became truly secret. Under this system (so named for its earlier use in Australia), the names of all qualifying candidates were printed on a single ballot by the government. These could only be distributed at polling places, where voting was done in private booths. The use of voting machines has further ensured the secrecy of the vote.

Voting Today

In the United States, voter turnout - the percentage of qualified voters who vote - often depends on the type of election being held. More people tend to vote in presidential elections than in other kinds. Even in this case, though, many people who are qualified to vote do not. In the 2000 presidential election, for example, only 51 percent of the electorate (all qualified voters) turned out.

This was not considered unusual. But other voting issues during the 2000 election drew considerable public attention. Significant flaws in the voting process were revealed when the vote in Florida required a recount that lasted for 36 days. A close examination of the results showed that thousands of people had voted incorrectly. Thousands of other votes were unclear.

In fact, experts believe that between 1 and 4 percent of all votes are not counted as the voter intended. In 2002, Congress passed the Help America Vote Act to help eliminate voting errors and to give states money to improve their voting systems. However, some computer experts and citizens' groups continue to question the accuracy of computerized voting machines.

In 2004, a proposal to allow military personnel and other U.S. citizens living abroad to vote via the Internet was canceled after computer experts tested the process and found that it would be impossible to prevent hackers from tampering with election results.

Kay J. Maxwell
President, League of Women Voters of the United States

How to Cite This Article
MLA (Modern Language Association) Style:
Maxwell, Kay J. "Voting." The New Book of Knowledge. Grolier Online, 2015. Web. 12 Oct. 2015. (use the date you accessed this page)
Chicago Manual of Style:
Maxwell, Kay J. "Voting." The New Book of Knowledge. Grolier Online http://nbk.grolier.com/ncpage?tn=/encyc/article.html&id=a2031120-h&type=0ta (accessed October 12, 2015). (use the date you accessed this page)
APA (American Psychological Association) Style:
Maxwell, K. J. (2015). Voting. The New Book of Knowledge. Retrieved October 12, 2015, from Grolier Online http://nbk.grolier.com/ncpage?tn=/encyc/article.html&id=a2031120-h&type=0ta (use the date you accessed this page)

Copyright © 2007 Scholastic Library Publishing, Inc. All rights reserved.

# data[].attributes.attachment_link.title
Voting in the United States | Scholastic

# data[].attributes.attachment_link.description
Voting is a process by which a person or a group of people expresses an opinion formally or officially. People vote in many situations (such as when students elect class officers at school). But voting usually refers to the act of citizens choosing candidates for public office or deciding on public issues and laws.

# data[].attributes.body
Students will be given the opportunity to view a sample paper ballot to show how to vote

# data[].attributes.body
This source helps explain the voting laws in the United States

# data[].attributes.attachment_link.readable_text
Voting Rights Laws and Constitutional Amendments
U.S. election laws date back to Article 1 of the Constitution. This gave states the responsibility of overseeing federal elections. Many Constitutional amendments and federal laws to protect voting rights have been passed since then.

Constitutional Amendments Affecting Voting Rights

The 24th Amendment, ratified in 1964, eliminated poll taxes. The tax had been used in some states to keep African Americans from voting in federal elections.

The 26th Amendment, ratified in 1971, lowered the voting age for all elections to 18.

Federal Voting Rights Laws

Federal laws passed over the years help protect Americans' right to vote and make it easier for citizens to exercise that right:

Learn more about the federal laws that protect your ability to vote with Know Your Voting Rights, from the Department of Justice.

State Voter ID Laws

Two-thirds of states require you to show some form of identification before you're allowed to vote. Learn more about states' voter ID requirements.

Voter Fraud, Voter Suppression, and Other Election Crimes
If you witness or suspect election crimes, you can report them. Learn where to report voter fraud and voting rights violations.

Types of Federal Election Crimes

Federal election crimes fall into three categories:

Civil rights violations involving voter intimidation, coercion, threats, and other tactics to suppress a person's ability to vote.
You have the right to cast your vote in private. There is no law against asking someone who they are voting for. But you do not have to share that information with anyone if you do not want to.

Voter fraud and voter registration fraud, such as when someone illegally casts a vote in the name of a dead person or someone who has moved.
Many states have strengthened their voter ID requirements to try to stop voter fraud.

Campaign finance crimes, such as when candidates accept funds that violate the amounts or donors permitted under the law

How To Report Voter Fraud, Intimidation, or Suppression

If you suspect voter fraud, report it to your state or territorial election office. You can also report it to:

If you witness or suspect voter intimidation or suppression, there are three ways you can report it:

Is Voting Mandatory in the United States?
In the U.S., no one is required by law to vote in any local, state, or presidential election. According to the U.S. Constitution, voting is a right. Many constitutional amendments have been ratified since the first election. However, none of them made voting mandatory for U.S. citizens.

Voter Accessibility Laws
Voter accessibility laws ensure that people with disabilities or language barriers are able to vote.

If you know you will need accommodations on Election Day, contact your state or local election office to find out what to expect at your polling place.

Laws and Accommodations for Voters With Disabilities

Several federal laws protect the voting rights of Americans with disabilities. These include the Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA) and the Help America Vote Act (HAVA).

Voters with disabilities have the right to:

Polling places must have:

Wheelchair-accessible voting booths

Entrances and doorways at least 32 inches wide

Handrails on all stairs

Voting equipment for people who are blind or visually impaired

If you have a disability, you may:

You can also ask your election office what other options you have.

Some states offer "curbside voting," when a poll worker brings everything you need to vote to your car.

Local organizations may provide transportation to the polls.

Many states let people with disabilities vote absentee by mail.

Help for Voters Needing Language Assistance

The Election Assistance Commission (EAC) helps people overcome language barriers to voting.

Federal law also lets anyone who cannot read or write bring someone to the polls to help.

Federal Campaign Finance Laws
Federal law puts limits on campaign contributions to candidates for president and Congress. It requires the candidates to report all the money their campaigns receive and spend.

Know How Much You Can Contribute to a Candidate for Federal Office

Most individuals can donate up to $3,300 per election, per candidate during the 2023-2024 elections. That means you can donate up to $3,300 each to:

Learn which organizations and individuals are not allowed to donate to federal candidates.

Financial Reporting Requirements for Candidates in Federal Elections

The Federal Election Campaign Act requires candidates to report:

The law applies to candidates for president as well as for the U.S. Senate and the U.S. House of Representatives.

The Federal Election Commission's Role in Campaign Finance Law

The Federal Election Commission (FEC) oversees enforcement of the Federal Election Campaign Act. The FEC:

# data[].attributes.attachment_link.description
Voting Rights Laws and Constitutional Amendments U.S. election laws date back to Article 1 of the Constitution. This gave states the responsibility of overseeing federal elections. Many Constitutional amendments and federal laws to protect voting rights have been passed since then. The 24th Amendment, ratified in 1964, eliminated poll taxes.

# data[].attributes.body
This video from PBS Kids shows how the voting process takes place

# data[].attributes.attachment_link.description
PBS KIDS You Choose is a kid-friendly website introducing children ages 6-8 to relevant, non-partisan democracy-related topics through interactive exploration and video.