SUMMARY
Defense Secretary Hegseth directed military commanders to have a one-day “stand down” this month so service members have time to vote in the midterms. In King County, Washington, ballots are already being processed from service members and Americans living abroad. Some arrive by mail. Some by email. Liz Landers takes a look at how those ballots are verified and counted and how secure they are.
View the transcript of the story.
Short on time? Watch the video and complete the following See, Think, Wonder questions: What did you notice? What did the story make you think? What would you want to learn more about?
News alternative: Check out our from the News Hour, and choose the story you’re most interested in watching. Then make a copy and answer these general discussion questions.
WARM-UP QUESTIONS
- Where are ballots already being counted in early October, and how are they counted?
- Who is Julie Wise, and what is her background?
- How can voters return ballots in Washington state?
- Why does President Trump say that mail ballots are "an open door to fraud," and what does the evidence show?
- What are some of the ways election workers verify ballots to make sure they match eligible voters?
ESSENTIAL QUESTIONS
- According to David Becker, election officials are always working to find a balance between accessibility and security. Which do you think is more important, and why?
- What do you think might be some ways to make overseas voting both easy to access and secure?
Media literacy: What aspects of overseas voting do you think weren't fully explained in this segment? How could you find out more?
WHAT STUDENTS CAN DO
This segment mentions President Trump's opposition to mail-in ballots for most people. Watch the segment below on some of the US Postal Service rules his administration has tried to put in place regarding mail-in ballots. Then discuss —
- What do you think the Trump administration is trying to achieve with its rules?
- How do you think the rules will impact the midterm elections?
- After watching this segment, and the one that led this lesson, do you think changes should be made to overseas ballot security and accessibility? If so, what changes?
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