November Virtual Display #1: Election Day

Today is election day! Clark College Libraries has created a collection of ebooks, articles, videos, and more all about voting. Learn about the history of voting, how elections work, and why the right to vote is so important. If you are looking for current information about the election the PBS website has coverage here.

Follow the links below to check out some ebooks, videos, articles, and other digital resources. To access ebooks click the link next to “Get It Now At:” and sign in with your lab username and password. Some may have a link at the top of the page that says “Check for full text” instead. Non-Clark Libraries resources do not require a Clark Labs account.

eBooks from Clark College Libraries

Ballot Battles: The History of Disputed Elections in the United States by Edward Foley	Red State, Blue State, Rich State, Poor State: Why Americans Vote the Way They Do – Expanded Edition by Andrew Gelman
This Bright Light of Ours: Stories from the Voting Rights Fight by Maria Gitin	The Dream is Lost: Voting Rights and the Politics of Race in Richmond, Virginia by Julian Maxwell Hayter
The Right to Vote: The Contested History of Democracy in the United States by Alexander Keyssar	Who Votes Now?: Demographics, Issues, Inequality, and Turnout in the United States by Jan E. Leighley and Jonathan Nagler
American Political Parties and Elections: A Very Short Introduction by Louis Sandy Maisel	Ballot Blocked: The Political Erosion of the Voting Rights Act by Jesse H. Rhodes

Outside Resources

Articles and Websites

How Americans Have Voted Through History

“Voting is the cornerstone of American democracy, but the United States Constitution doesn’t say exactly how Americans should cast their ballots in elections. Article 1, Section 4 simply states that it’s up to each state to determine “The Times, Places and Manner of holding Elections.” Over the past 200 years, the mechanics of voting have evolved from open-air “voice votes” to touch screen digital consoles.”

League of Women Voters – Voting Rights

“Voting is a fundamental right and all eligible voters should have the equal opportunity to exercise that right. We are dedicated to ensuring that our elections remain free, fair and accessible.”

Mail-in voting lessons from Oregon, the state with the longest history of voting by mail

“Oregon’s experience shows that mail-in voting can be safe and secure, providing accurate and reliable results the public can be confident in. As more voters consider using mail-in voting than ever before, there are some lessons they – and their local and state election officials – can learn from Oregon, to help things move more smoothly.”

Opinion: Down-ballot voting is more important than ever

“To begin, we have to unpack our culture surrounding down-ballot races for state and local offices. These are positions like school board, city council, commissioner, prosecutor and other elected officials whose names we rarely know. They are typically placed below the presidential elections, hence the term down-ballot.”

Why Is Voting Important? Election Experts Explain

“The right to vote is precious. If you have it, you should use it.”

Voting Rights Project

“Since 1965, the Lawyers’ Committee has been at the forefront of the legal struggle to advance and protect the right to vote and to ensure that the right is afforded equally to all. Through coordinated and integrated programs of litigation, voter protection, advocacy, and education, the Voting Rights Project has had a tremendous positive impact on communities of color, low-income communities, youth, people with disabilities, and other traditionally disenfranchised populations.”

Videos and Podcasts

The Brown Girl’s Guide to Politics – Wonder Media Network

“The Brown Girls Guide to Politics Podcast is all about amplifying the voices of women who are too often forgotten in most media coverage. In the BGG to Politics blog, A’shanti Gholar created a space for women of color to learn about the current state of women in politics, to support others breaking into the political sphere, and to celebrate incredible people changing the course of the country. Gholar founded the blog and Wonder Media Network is thrilled to extend her platform to audio.”

Civics 101: A Podcast

“Why does the U.S. have an Electoral College? How do congressional investigations work? What does the minority whip actually do? Civics 101 is the podcast refresher course on the basics of how the U.S. government works, hosted by Hannah McCarthy and Nick Capodice.”

CNN Election 101 – Podcast on CNN Audio

“If there’s one thing we know about 2020, it’s that what’s supposed to happen might not. This November will be no exception. In Election 101, we’re getting back to the basics of what’s at stake when you cast your vote. Whether you’re a political novice or longtime expert, this podcast will bring something new and vital to your understanding of what it means to be democratically elected. Hosted by Kristen Holmes.”

Crash Course US Government and Politics

“In 50 videos, Craig Benzine (aka WeezyWaiter) teaches you U.S. government and politics! The course is based on the 2014 AP U.S. Government and Politics curriculum.”

PBS Learning Media Election Collection

“Voting and elections are an essential part of democracy. Keep up with with election news, study the history and process of presidential elections, explore voting rights, and engage in classroom debates with these videos, activities, and lesson plans. Use our interactive Electoral Decoder to explore electoral college results from previous elections, and predict the outcome of the upcoming election. We will continue to add resources to this collection through the 2020 presidential election.”

Featured Image Photo Credit: Creative Commons License Image