Take the Comparative “Quiz” with your partner.

Bell Ringer

Polling & Test Review

Today we will …

Examine the usefulness of opinion polling, including exit polls

Review demographic data to determine the likelihood of liberal & conservative ideology

Review civil rights policies & the impact on AA voting patterns

Review for Unit 3 Test Polling video & opinion

poll partner activity Exit polls & voter

demographics African American

voting patterns & practice FRQ

Objectives Agenda

Public Opinion

What the public thinks about a particular issue or set of issues at a given time

http://ed.ted.com/lessons/pros-and-cons-of-public-opinion-polls-jason-robert-jaffe

Cleavages Social Class Race and ethnicity Region

How do we measure public opinion?

Scientific Polling Random Samples Representative Sample Question Wording Large Sample Size gives a lower margin of

error

Check for understanding

What do we call the group pf people that respond to questions during a public opinion poll?

Why do people tend to give socially desirable answers to poll questions?

Scientific Polling

PEW 2014 Midterm polls, Topline Questionnaire Random sample of entire population Comprehensible ? Questions asked fairly Categories carefully considered Sampling difference, sampling error

Check for understanding

What are two characteristics of a valid scientific, public opinion poll?

Usefulness of Polling Results

Public opinion polls are a way to link the public with elected officials. Members of Congress often use polls to understand the views of their constituents, but they must also pay attention to other political considerations. Polls influence Congress

Explain why strong public opinion, as expressed in polling results, influence the voting decisions of members of Congress

Polls have limited influence on Congress Legislator’s voting records Party Leadership

Pair Activity

How might public opinion influence the voting decisions of members of Congress during competitive re-elections?

1. Each partner will have a poll of support for Medicaid expansion in Virginia.

2. Use questions 1, 2 and 5 to help you analyze the information.3. Answer the question 6 together & be ready to share your

findings.

What is your reaction to each article’s polling data & polling questions? Did it persuade you of anything?

Va. legislators approve budget deal, reject Medicaid expansion - The Washington Post

Political Elites

How do they influence public opinion? Elite: people who have disproportionate amount

of some valued resource- money, schooling, prestige, athletic ability, political power, etc. Activists: hold office, run for office, work in

campaigns/ newspapers, social movements, speaking out. -

Higher rates of participation come w/more information

Association with like-minded people Elites direct attention to topics

What can they tell us about who participates and their ideologies?

Demographics

Changing Demographics

Race/Ethnicity Age Family/Family Size Gender Composition of Workforce

Demographic Chart: 2012

Gender Religion Region Race Education

Random sample of entire population

Comprehensible ? Questions asked fairly Categories carefully

considered Sampling difference,

sampling error

What does the chart say about:

Polling

Look at past demo dataAge, income, religion, education, gender

Who participates in Politics?

Who is more likely to be politically active? College educated

High level of political information? More control over time

Older than 45 Regular religious involvement

Participation could be increased by Automatic registration Compulsory voting laws Political party strength

Democrat v Republican VotersExamine the exit poll demographic data from the presidential election of 2000. What “type” of person was more likely to

vote for Gore/Democrat? What “type” of person was more likely to

vote for Bush/Republican? Annotate your Right vs. Left handout

with the information you uncover.

Check for understanding

Draw a picture of a “typical” Conservative & Liberal.

African American Voting Patterns

15th Amendment - 1870

“The right of citizens of the United States to vote shall not be denied or abridged by the United States or by any state on account of race, color, or previous condition of servitude.

"The first vote" A.R. Waud. Wood engraving. 1867.

1965 Voting Rights Act

A Time for Justice: 3 min and 11 minutes What kind of discrimination did

African Americans face concerning suffrage?

In what other ways did African Americans participate in the political process other than voting?

• Be sure to answer all the parts of the question. What does the question ask, define or explain?

• Use specific content vocabulary & avoid generalizations. You are proving what you know!

US FRQ

CLOSURE/ HOMEWORK

FRQ - US What is the difference between political culture and public

opinion? What factors contribute to the likelihood of voting? Governmental requirements decrease/ increase voter turnout Public opinion polls influence law makers behavior Discrimination of African Americans in the political process,

15th amendment FRQ - Comparative

Define Welfare states Influence of Colonialism Social Cleavages choose a country, what methods does a

country use to respond to that cleavage?