Daily Video
October 15, 2020Which is better: Paper ballot or voting machine?
Directions: Read the summary, watch the video and answer the discussion questions. To read the transcript of the video above, click here.
Summary: During this election, early and absentee voting are expected to reach record levels, with mail-in ballots drawing significant attention as a result. President Donald Trump has repeatedly claimed, without evidence, that voting by mail is not safe or reliable — but what do election experts say is the best method? Find out more with NewsHour’s Miles O’Brien.
Discussion:
Warm up questions: Have your students identify the 5Ws and an H:
-
- Who is the story about? Who is affected by mail-in ballots?
- What is the difference between paper and machine voting?
- When and where are these election officials working?
- Why do different states or even different polling places use different technology?
- How can voting technology affect voting outcomes?
Then have students share with the class or through a Learning Management System (LMS).
Focus questions:
- What do you think should be done to make voting as secure, reliable and convenient as possible?
- Who do you think should have the authority to make sure voting procedures are safe, fair and reliable?
Media literacy: Who else’s opinion would you want to hear, aside from other election officials, about the best way to vote securely and conveniently?
Dig deeper: This election year is a little different than most, with the pandemic leading more voters to choose mail-in ballots and election officials encouraging mail-in voting for public health reasons. But President Trump has waged a campaign against mail-in voting, suggesting it’s subject to fraud. So how does it work? Watch the video below to find out, and if you would like to access a lesson on the security of mail-in ballots, click here.
Ask your students: What are the tradeoffs in safety, security and fairness between mail-in voting and in-person voting?
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