Elections

Essay Prompt:

One of the most famous scholars of democracy, Robert DahlLinks to an external site., notes that A key characteristic of a democracy is the continuing responsiveness of the government to the preferences of its citizens, considered as political equals (Dahl 1971Links to an external site.).

Using Dahls definition of democracy, it is possible to see some general areas where our elections and electoral processes do not live up to the highest standards in many countries. From the textbook readings, module instructions, videos, and any other reliable sources you might find, address how and in what way any two of the following factors have nudged the US democracy away from Dahls description of democracy:

The Electoral College
Gerrymandering
Voter suppression (overt and/or covert)
Money
Dr. Wilson’s Helpful Hints:

find other sources for the two topics you select.
Your 650-word (within +/- 10% of the word length) essay should use the following structure:
State which two topics you will discuss, and briefly explain why they are relevant to the conduct of fair elections at the federal level in the US.
Your essay will be graded on how well you use concrete examples and evidence to demonstrate your understanding of the topics you have picked, and how persuasive your argument is. You should conclude with a summary evaluation of the impact of the topic you selected on the equal representation of citizens and the implication for democracy.
We do not care about your partisan interest, just your ability to present the facts and analyze their impact.
Bonus questions (one point each): Your answers must appear at the top of your essay under the word count:

How did George Washington spend most of his campaign budget during his election?
The administration of federal elections (US Senate, Congress, President) is controlled by which level of government?

Your assignment is to write an original, multi-paragraph 650-word (+/-10%), double-spaced, well-cited, proofread essay.
You must use APA or MLA citation style to document your sources, including the textbook, and include a Works Cited/References page with all references (full bibliographic information) for all sources used in your paper.
You must use in-text citations for all information that is not common knowledge
Do not include the Works Cited/References page[s] in your overall word count.
Do not use quotations, please paraphrase and use in-text citations. We want to hear you explain your position in your own voice.
Your essay should include an introduction, a body with logical, well-supported examples, and an argument. It should end with a conclusion that is drawn from the evidence you present in the body of the essay.