This document provides a worksheet with questions for students to answer about voting, elections, and the US political system. It includes 14 multiple choice and short answer questions linking to various websites about topics like citizenship, the voting process, the electoral college, political parties, amendments related to voting rights, and how to use an electronic voting machine. The worksheet is intended to help students learn about US elections and obtain information for the 2012 election.

1. Adrienne Woolley
Grade: 6
Topic: Voting and Elections
Learning Objective: Students will be able to understand
the voting process in the United States and obtain
information about the 2012 election.
Directions: Each question will have a corresponding website to visit to
obtain information about voting and elections. Answer each question in the
space provided. You will be given 2 class periods to complete this.
1.
http://teacher.scholastic.com/activities/government/civi
cs.htm
-Read the article “What is the definition of Citizenship” and answer the following
question.
What is a citizen and why is citizenship valuable?
2. http://bensguide.gpo.gov/9-
12/citizenship/responsibilities.html
a. In your opinion, why is it important for citizens to vote?
b. Where can citizens find information on current issues in Congress?
c. Where can citizens find information about candidates and their political
platforms?
3. http://bensguide.gpo.gov/9-
12/election/registration.html
a. How old do you have to be to vote?
b. Name 3 locations where you can register to vote.

2. 4.
http://www.gallopade.com/client/electionsForKids/Elec
toralCollege.html
How does the electoral college work?
5. http://www.archives.gov/federal-register/electoral-
college/about.html
a. How many electors are in the Electoral College?
b. How many electoral votes are required to elect the President?
c. What day is the President sworn into office?
6. http://www.archives.gov/federal-register/electoral-
college/faq.html
What happens if no presidential candidate gets 270 Electoral votes?
7. http://magazines.scholastic.com/election-2012
Scroll down to The Electoral Challenge under the “election maps and games”
heading.Play the election game with the computer or a partner and try to become
president by getting 270 electoral votes. Write down 10 states that you choose and
their corresponding number of electoral votes. Did you win?

3. 8. http://kids.usa.gov/president/index.shtml
a. What are the requirements for a presidential candidate as written in the U.S.
Constitution?
b. Name and explain the four steps to becoming president.
9. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=9kADLPNZGy4
a. What amendment to the Constitution allowed every race to vote?
b. What amendment to the Constitution gave women the right to vote?
c. What amendment to the Constitution gave citizens of Washington D.C. the right
to vote in national elections?
10. http://magazines.scholastic.com/Election-2012/vocab
Pick 5 words from the election vocabulary page and write down their definitions.

4. 11.
http://www.ourwhitehouse.org/donkeyandelephant.html
a. What animals represent the Democratic and Republican parties and where did
these representations originate?
Democrat:
Republican:
b. Do you think the donkey and elephant were the best choices to represent the
Democratic and Republican Parties? Why? Why not? What animals would you have
picked and why?
12. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=9hqme4X1b7E
Watch this video made by students at the Ron Clark Academy and answer the
following questions. What are two policies of the Democrats and two policies of the
Republicans that the students included in their song?
Democrats:
Republicans:
13. http://theweek.com/section/cartoon/93/227894/2012-
elections
Look at the political cartoon entitled “The Two-Headed Election Monster.” What do
you think this cartoon is trying to say about the relationship between President
Obama and presidential nominee Romney?
14.http://elections.utah.gov/Media/Default/VIP/2012%20V
oter%20Information%20Pamphlet.pdf
a. What are the names of the political parties represented in Utah?

5. b. Go to page 72 and read about how to use the Electronic Voting Machine. List the
8 steps of how to vote electronically.
Answer Sheet
1. A citizen is a participatory member of a political community. The value of citizenship varies
from nation to nation. In some countries, citizenship can mean a citizen has the right to vote, the
right to hold government offices, and the right to collect unemployment insurance payments.
2. a. civic duty, maintain voice in government
b. GPO Access (http://www.gpo.gov/fdsys/)
c. pamphlets, brochures, newspapers, radio, television, magazines
3. a. at least 18 years old
b. Answers vary. Some could include public library, post office, unemployment office, public
high schools and universities, state department of motor vehicles, armed forces recruitment
offices.
4. The people in each state vote for the president. The results in a state determine which electors
are selected for that state. All the electoral votes for that state go for the candidate that gets the
most votes in that state. The electoral votes for all 50 states are added and the candidate with the
majority of the votes wins!
5. a. 538 electors
b. a majority of 270 electoral votes
c. Jan 20th in the year following the presidential election
6. If no candidate receives a majority of Electoral votes, the House of Representatives elects the
President from the 3 Presidential candidates who received the most Electoral votes. Each state
delegation has one vote. The Senate would elect the Vice President from the 2 Vice Presidential
candidates with the most Electoral votes. Each Senator would cast one vote for Vice President. If
the House of Representatives fails to elect a President by Inauguration Day, the Vice-President
Elect serves as acting President until the deadlock is resolved in the House.
7. Answers vary. Some examples include California – 55, Texas – 38, Pennsylvania – 20,
Tennessee – 11, Indiana – 11, Ohio – 18.
8. a. natural born citizen, minimum age: 35 years, U.S. resident at least 14 years
b. 1. Primaries and Caucuses: Candidates from each political party campaign throughout the
country to win the favor of their party members. Caucus: In a caucus, party members select the

6. best candidate through a series of discussions and votes. Primary: In a primary, party members
vote for the best candidate that will represent them in the general election. 2. National
Conventions: Each party holds a national convention to finalize the selection of one presidential
nominee. At each convention, the presidential candidate chooses a running-mate (vice
presidential candidate). 3. General Election: The presidential candidates campaign throughout
the country in an attempt to win the support of the general population. People in every state
across the country vote for one president and one vice president. When people cast their vote,
they are actually voting for a group of people known as electors.4. Electoral College: In the
Electoral College system, each state gets a certain number of electors, based on each state's total
number of representation in Congress. Each elector casts one electoral vote following the general
election; there are a total of 538 electoral votes. The candidate that gets more than half (270)
wins the election.
9. a.15th amendment
b.19th amendment
c.23rd amendment
10. Answers vary. Some examples include ballot – a list of candidates and proposals for which
citizens can vote, conservative – a person who tends to uphold tradition and resist major changes
in law and institutions, dark horse – a candidate that who unexpectedly wins a party’s
nomination, elector – a person chosen by the voters of each state to cast a ballot for president
and vice president, exit poll – an Election Day poll based on interviews with voters who have
left polling places.
11. a. Democrat: Donkey
Republican: Elephant
b. Answers vary.
12. Answers vary. Democrats – wealthy pay more in taxes, build up Medicare and Medicaid,
make cuts to military spending (diplomacy instead of war), creating government programs to
help poor
Republicans – increase funds to the military, support large businesses, trickle-down economics
13. Answers vary. Some answers could include: They don’t agree politically. This election has
turned into a mud-slinging event. Both of the candidates are trying to discredit each other.
14. a. Constitution Party, Libertarian Party, Democratic Party, Republican Party, Justice Party,
Green Party
b. 1. Start 2. Read instructions screen 3. Vote for candidates/issues 4. Record “write-ins”
(optional) 5. Review your ballot 6. Print your ballot 7. Cast your ballot 8. Remove your card