Describes the objectives, organizational structure, and proposed activities of the National Task Force on Political Action, a grassroots network organized by the National Association for the Advancement of Colored People and designed to recruit citizen participation in providing voter education and promoting voter registration. (MJL)

Results indicate that (1) voters' attitudes toward the candidates, issues, and parties stabilized after the election and (2) the first two debates were the most important events of the campaign with their greatest effects being felt between one and two weeks after the events. (PD)

Assesses the National Educational Association's (NEA) influence and power to effect political change. Concludes that the NEA is neither very powerful nor very weak and that its potential is considerable if Reagan's conservative program falters. (WD)

Provides excerpts from five primary sources concerning the lives of women in California from 1850 to 1942. Notes sources and includes discussion questions, as well as an oral history interview. (CK)

Provides a list of political Internet resources that have proved to be valuable for reference in academic and public libraries. Highlights include political parties; campaigns, candidates, and election results; campaign finance; political news; incumbent voting; and interest groups and issues. (AEF)

States that three new developments related to the Internet can assist teachers in encouraging students to participate in democracy throughout their lives: (1) online voting and advocacy; (2) online political information; and (3) online civic activism. Provides two activities that use resources from Speakout.com. (CMK)

Describes a U.S. teacher's observations of the first election in newly reunified Germany in 1990. Discusses the political parties, the public's attitude, political advertising, and student and citizen reaction. Reports concerns over the electoral gains of former communists and setbacks for the Green party. (DK)

Maintains that political liberalism and the democratic ideal provide the foundation for almost all contemporary political thought. Argues that, contrary to most theoretical constructs, there is a natural tension between the fundamental ideals of liberalism and those of democracy. (CFR)

Of the 58 referenda held in search of capital funds for public library buildings in 1997, 49 were successful, and of the 67 referenda seeking operating funds, 55 were successful. Funding levels and voter approval rate are examined, and a sidebar describes a bond issue at the Topeka Public Library. (LRW)

Discusses the boycott of meetings in California by the College and University Faculty Assembly (CUFA) of the National Council for the Social Studies (NCSS) because of the passage of Proposition 187. Uses the decision for the boycott as a means to explore the notions of democracy, citizenship, and citizenship education. (CMK)

Focuses on how young people do not participate in the voting process. Discusses three types of voters and the use of democratic deliberation in the classroom. Highlights three types of issues that can be considered for democratic deliberation and offers criteria to help teachers select the best issues. (CMK)

In a recent survey, the authors asked 37 elementary teachers to describe websites that they found to be the most helpful in planning to teach about voting, elections in general, and the Presidential election of 2004 in particular. For this article, they selected what were, in their judgment, the most useful websites--flexible enough to use with…

Youth Vote 2004 encouraged students to text message their questions to party leaders and to use their Nokia handsets to vote. Teachers were presented with a rather pitiful set of suggested classroom activities, all of which (naturally) involved text messaging. A statement from a Nokia representative established both the company's selfless…