Tuesday marks the U.S. midterm elections, which could change the balance of power in the House and the Senate. Why should you care, when even American journalists have been relatively quiet about this week’s vote? 3 ideas behind the news.
Source: “Why vote? TED-Ed’s election roundup,” TED-Ed, 2014.
Why you should read this roundup: Whether you’re passionate about the midterms or not, these 4 TED-Ed animated lessons are fun to watch. Why do Americans vote on Tuesdays? How have voting rights changed since the first U.S. election? Where does the term gerrymandering come from, anyway? Watch the embedded videos in this TED-Ed roundup to find out.
Source: “Jeremy Heimans: What new power looks like,” TEDTalks, 2014.
Why you should watch this talk: How can you use old institutional power in new, surprising ways? This is the next challenge of innovators, argues activist Jeremy Heimans. To ponder the future of politics, watch this talk.
Source: “Texas’s voter-ID law: So, is it suppressing voters?” The Economist, 2014.
Why you should check out this analysis: There’s nothing quite as bracing as a dry British writer on Texas shenanigans. To wit: If you’d like to vote in Texas this year, “you’ll needed an approved form of government-issued photo ID. Concealed handgun licences count; student IDs do not.” Read this analysis to see U.S. voter-ID laws in a new light.
+ American voters: Need to find your polling place? Or report a problem on Election Day? The League of Women Voters has you covered. Call 1-866-OUR-VOTE or go to Vote411.org.
Featured animation by Flaming Medusa Studios for the TED-Ed lesson, “The fight for the right to vote in the United States.”
