Tapas Course 5 - Votum
vote (n.) c.1460, from L. votum "a vow, wish, promise, dedication," noun use of neut. of votus, pp. of vovere "to promise, dedicate" (see vow). The verb in the modern sense is attested from 1552; earlier it meant "to vow" to do something (1533).
The etymology of the word vote, from the Latin word votum, meaning a wish or promise, is quite interesting when thinking about today's voting behavior. Over the past three elections, United States voter turn out his steadily increased, creating close elections and passionate voters. The meaning of vote can be seen as a contract between those casting the ballots and those whom will be elected. The wish and promise are shared between both, each expressing their hopes, but also the needs and concerns for themselves, as well as society. The voters, by casting their ballot, express their will and support to a chosen representative. The candidate, on the other hand, makes a vow to represent their constituents by acting as a delegate, or a trustee. The candidate promises to make decisions for the betterment of their community even if unpopular. The act of voting can be as simple as pushing a button or checking a box, but what it represents is complex in the depth of its effect.
Voting goes back to early civilizations or communities with democratic governments in which people expressed their wishes though a show of hands or yells of "yea" or "nay." Modern voting (in America and throughout the rest of the world) is now conducted in a more efficient manner due to increased voter turnout - the ballot system. The word ballot comes from the Italian ballotta, meaning little ball, because early voters dropped a bullet or ball shaped rock into a jar to cast their vote. Later, slips of paper were adopted to make counting votes easier (Lepore 2008). It was a great honor to cast your ballot for the candidate that you felt would represent you the best, even if others did not agree. For most of the 18th and 19th centuries, election polls were surrounded by violence. Election judges were trained in various self-defense mechanisms in order to run an election precinct effectively. The openness of voting, using systems such as color coded ballots or ballots prepared by party officials for voters to hand in, often caused rampant violent behavior at polling locations. Many minorities were too afraid to go to the polls fearing their safety and well being. John Stuart Mill, the son of a Benthamite, did not believe a secret ballot would solve these issues. Opponents would state, "Voters need to exercise it [voting] privately to exercise it well, because the electorate, unlike the legislature, consists of men of unequal rank. The powerless will always be prevailed upon by the powerful; only secrecy can protect them from bribery and bullying" (Lepore 2008). The secret or Australian ballot was adopted soon after.
Today, secret ballots have not rectified the original fear of minority voters choosing to cast a vote. Since the passage of the 15th and 20th amendments, the number of black and women voters has slowly increased over time, but not with the immediacy that the authors of the amendments had hoped. In 2008, the number of minorities that voted was a drastic increase from previous elections. Time will only tell whether the percentage of voting by minorities will increase and thus rights and representation for them.
Strategies:
This course looks at the primary act of voting and how it has evolved in the United States. Using a New York Times article on the history of voting in the United States, the class will analyze raw voting data from the 2008 election. By analyzing state-by-state voting, and voting trends as a whole, each group of students ultimately has a common goal. Viewing data from a variety of angles, students will see that data can be used to validate many different outcomes and form solid conclusions.
Students will present their findings to the class, driving a class wide analysis of the 2008 election results. This unit will lead into the next unit's discussion of minority representation in individual districts.
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