Assignment 1: Voting

Assignment 1: Voting

The ultimate expression of freedom in the United States is the right to vote. This right is deeply treasured by many Americans, but there are those that take the process for granted. How is my vote counted? Do I have fair representation in Congress? Does my vote make a difference? These are the kinds of questions a concerned citizen must ask when considering the voting process.

There are a number of different methods for counting votes used around the world ranging from majority rule to the constitutionally mandated electoral college used to determine the US presidency. In order to explore the complexities of the voting process and methods used to assure fairness, let's examine the following scenario:

In the near future, Congress and the states will abolish the process of voting at the polls in the United States. Instead, all citizens will cast their votes via an approved and secure smartphone app.

In your post, address the following questions:

• Describe what changes you anticipate this would make to the accuracy, documentation, expense, and convenience of the voting process.
• What method of fairness do you feel would be best suited to counting the votes in this process: majority rule or some other variation?
• Explain whether this method of voting could be considered truly secure.
• What are some unintended consequences that could arise from this method of casting votes?

When constructing your response, consider the theories, examples, and concepts discussed in your readings this module, and refer to them to support your conclusions.

Write your initial response in a minimum of 200 words. Apply APA standards to citation of sources.

By Saturday, January 31, 2015, post your response to the appropriate Discussion Area. Through Wednesday, February 4, 2015, review the postings of your peers and respond to at least two of them. Consider commenting on the following:

• If this smartphone voting method was based solely upon the majority-rule method of voting, how could citizens ever really know if they are being fairly represented by elected officials?
• Based upon what you've learned this module, is voting as straightforward as the general public might think?