UNIT 3 (Chapters 6 and 7) - OBJECTIVES

Introduction

Unit/Module 3 provides a conceptual framework for voting, elections and the impact of public opinion.  It answers some fundamental questions, e.g., How is public opinion measured and how accurate is it? What motivates people to register to vote and actually vote? How are elections actually run? 

By the end of this module, you will be able to:

• Define direct democracy and analyze its usefulness in today's political environment
• Describe federal campaign finance laws and their constitutional limitations under the Citizens United decision.
• Identify different types of opinion polls and analyze their accuracy.
• You Will Demonstrate Mastery of Unit 3

By being able to:

1. Compare and contrast different types of primary elections.
2. Explain the "electoral college," why we have it, and how it works.
3. Explain our "winner takes all" elections and compare this system to alternative methods.
4. Apply your learning to current events, specifically the "Politics in the News" discussion boa