Testimony concerning amendments to the Voting Rights Act of 1965 addresses, specifically, the provisions for language assistance for Alaskan native, Asian-American, Hispanic, and Native American citizens in order that they be able to exercise effectively their right to vote. The proposed legislation would extend coverage of Section 203 of the…

Public concern about the quality of education is increasing dramatically. This report presents findings of a national survey conducted by the Education Commission of the States (ECS) following the November 1996 general election. Data were gathered through a telephone survey of 1,200 registered voters, 40 percent of whom were Republicans, 40…

This issue of "Media & Values" explores the growing influence of mass media on the election process in the United States. The essays present various interpretations of that influence and the implications for the nation. The magazine is divided into three sections. The introductory section includes: (1) "Where Have All the Leaders Gone?" (Daniel…

A textbook for English-as-a-Second-Language (ESL) students presents lessons on U.S. citizenship education and naturalization information. The nine lessons cover the following topics: the U.S. system of government; the Bill of Rights; responsibilities and rights of citizens; voting; requirements for naturalization; the application process; the…

This paper traces the historical development of New York State Small City School District (SCSD) school budget voting policy. State policymakers are currently debating whether to change from representative to referendum school budget voting in SCSDs. Following a historical analysis of the current debate, the argument is made that there no longer…

The use of an electronic feedback system, the Anonymous Audience Response System (AARS), in educational decision making is described, and the results of use studies in North Carolina are discussed. The AARS insures anonymity of an individual participant's responses, and at the same time, provides immediate feedback of the group's collective…

In an electoral process in 1988 and 1989, voters replaced General Augusto Pinochet as leader of Chile. The use of political cartoons by both pro- and anti-Pinochet forces is explored in this paper. Cartoons have long been recognized as a form of mass communication. In the Chilean elections cartoons played an important role in the battle for the…

Defining emotional responses as the interaction of three primary emotions occurring along pleasure-displeasure, arousal-nonarousal, and dominance-submissiveness continua, a study hypothesized that (1) a systematic relationship exists between the emotions elicited by the candidate and voting behavior, and that (2) the emotions elicited by…

This materials packet contains information on teaching about the electoral process and the elections of 1988, and on participation in a mock election for students whose schools would take part in the 1988 North Carolina Mock Election. Suggestions for teachers' preparations are given, including a classroom skit and a mock candidates' election…

Data were gathered in two phases during the 1984 presidential election campaign in an effort to examine the public's perceived information needs. In the first phase of the study, interviews were conducted with a small sample of Knoxville, Tennessee area adults to Tennessee area adults to ascertain their attitudes and perceptions concerning the…

This monograph briefly examines justice in the United States as it has evolved historically in four areas: (1) the right to vote; (2) the right to freedom of expression and freedom of the press; (3) the rights of persons accused of crimes; and (4) the right to equal protection under the law. Each area is analyzed. Historical background information…

A study was conducted during the 1980 presidential campaign to answer three questions about the nature of public opinion: (1) What is the effect of customary patterns of mass media use and interpersonal communication on perceptions of public opinion about election campaigns? (2) What effect does the magnitude of discrepancy between a person's own…

A study was conducted to examine the evaluative criteria or schemata that voters use in making decisions about competing candidates. More specifically, the study sought to determine (1) whether the criteria that voters employ differ between the candidates, and (2) the relative importance of various candidate-specific criteria in the voting…

Attitudes toward and participation in politics by elementary and secondary school social studies teachers in Texas from 1976-1977 are discussed. Political involvement is interpreted to include voting, contributing time and/or money to a political party, running for political office, belonging to a teachers organization, watching news on…

This bibliography contains annotations of 11 journal articles, papers, and books examining different aspects of school budget elections. Entries include materials on voter behavior, the so-called "taxpayers' revolt," suggestions to school districts on how to win financial elections, campaign strategies, citizens' attitudes in school tax voting,…