The Election Project Including Research into Candidates

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The Election ProjectIncluding Research into
Candidates Positions on Environmental Issues as
Part of an Environmental Science Course

• Mike Phillips
• Professor of Geology
• Illinois Valley Community College
• Oglesby, Illinois
• mike_phillips_at_ivcc.edu

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Concerns about young voters

• Low registration
• Low turnout
• Lack of connection to the political system
• do not relate to process
• not aware of
• issues
• resources

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Motivations

• Young voter turnout affected by
• college education (Luntz, 2004)
• with some 67 turnout
• without 30 turnout
• perceived impact on election (CIRCLE, 2004)
• 64 turnout in battleground states

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Motivations

• Why young voters voted for a candidate (Luntz,
  2004)
• 38 felt strongly about issue or issues
• 22 strongly supported a candidate
• 22 had strong feelings against a candidate
• 16 felt it was their civic duty

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Motivations

• Why young voters do not vote (NASS, 1998)
• 26 Vote doesnt make a difference
• 25 Not enough information
• 15 Not enough time
• 15 Negative campaigning
• 10 Dislike politics/candidates

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Hopeful Signs

• Young voter turnout rising (CIRCLE, 2004)
• 1992 48
• 1996 35
• 2000 43
• 2004 52

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Hopeful Signs

• Perceived impact of government and elected
  officials (NASS, 1998)
• 24 very strong impact
• 48 somewhat of an impact
• 18 not a very strong impact
• 10 almost no impact

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What Young Voters Want(New Millennium Voters
Project, 2000)

• Issues that matter to them
• Attention of politicians
• Authenticity in candidates
• Information on where and how to vote
• Choices, not dictates want to be asked to vote
• Young people who are exposed to parents,
  schools, and communities that encourage political
  participation are far more likely to participate
  themselves.

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Election season

• Provides excellent opportunity to
• link course topics to real world issues
• encourage critical thinking
• develop citizenship
• Election cycle
• registration
• education
• participation

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The Election Project

• Get students engaged in the electoral process
• Model
• Identify appropriate courses
• match goals to goals
• Develop project
• Implement project
• Get out the vote
• Review Revise

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Courses

• Environmental Geology
• Fr-So Level
• Apply geology to human interactions with the
  environment
• Environmental Science
• Fr-So Level
• Apply physical and biological sciences to human
  interactions with the environment

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Course Goals

• General Education Science
• Apply science topics in the real world
• Explore the impact of the political system on
  course-related issues
• Improve critical thinking skills
• Develop citizenship

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Project Development

• group vs. individual
• candidate vs. race
• grade value
• rubric
• timing
• list of candidates

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Supporting web site

• assignment
• links
• http//www.ivcc.edu/phillips/courses/bio1000/elect
  ion.htm

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The Project Begins

• Class develops a short list of issues
• discussed in the course
• concern to the students
• likely to be covered in the campaign
• Students select candidates
• state federal office
• from list of those appearing on local ballots
• by district (when possible)

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Research

• student research
• phone calls
• face to face
• web sites
• fliers

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Presentations

• Must contain
• positions on class questions
• sources
• Poster vs. PowerPoint
• posters can be displayed after class
• Candidates in the classroom
• extend invitation to opponent
• Timing week prior to election

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Get Out the Vote

• Timing of student presentations
• Explain the mechanics of voting
• where to go
• what to do
• who to contact with questions
• you do not have to vote in every contest
• Extra credit for voting

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After the Election

• Discuss results
• Relate to presentations
• Review Revise

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Results

• Results of student research varies widely
• some find very little substantive information
• some find find detailed position papers
• some talk directly to their candidate
• Candidate visits
• worth the time
• excellent discussions
• Students
• enjoy reporting on candidates (most)
• discover the importance of key issues
• start to become engaged in the process
• become frustrated by vague answers

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Keys to success

• Start small
• Strive for balance
• Check on progress frequently
• Encourage students to call candidates
• Provide clear expectations
• Use peer pressure
• Highlight issues in the news

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Advanced Options

• Voter registration
• Candidates on campus
• meet greet
• forums
• classroom visits
• GOTV rallies
• Working with groups
• Student government
• Declare Yourself
• Rock the Vote
• Choose or Lose
• Voter Virgin

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Sources

• NASS, 1998, NASS National Questionaire/ November
  14-19, 1998 by the Tarrance Group/Lake Snell
  Perry Associates, 28p.
• New Millenium Voters Project, 2000,
  http//www.stateofthevote.org, by National
  Association of Secretaries of State.
• CIRCLE, 2004, http//www.civicyouth.org, by The
  Center for Information and Research on Civic
  Learning and Engagement, University of Maryland.
• Luntz, 2004, The Emerging Electorate Survey
  What Young Americans Say About the 2004
  Election, for Declare Yourself, 27p.

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Thanks

• Mike Phillips
• Illinois Valley Comm. College
• http//www.ivcc.edu/phillips