Background: The election is fast approaching and you discover that your neighbor Kingston has just turned 18 but does not plan to vote. He says he does not know who is running, or even where to go to cast a ballot. Your mission is to help him get registered to vote and informed by Election Day. TASK 1. Make Kingston a flyer that lists the five requirements a person must meet to vote legally and include a link to a downloadable voter registration form. Include the voter registration deadline. Use the Monroe County Board of Elections Website to get this information and Microsoft Publisher to create the flyer. http://www.monroecounty.gov/elections TASK 2. Find some of the candidates Kingston will be voting for by entering his address in this Website: http://www.thevoterguide.org/a-democratandchronicle He lives next door to you, so you can use your address or an address on your street. Create a chart in Excel that shows at least three seats that are up for election and the major party candidates (Democrat/Republican) who are running. Here is an example. President State Senate County Clerk Democrat Barack Obama David Nachbar Tom Hasman Republican John McCain Jim Alesi Cheryl Dinolfo

TASK 3. You have to inform Kingston on one issue you feel strongly about; heath care, the Iraq War, economic policy, the environment, etc. Using the various candidates’ Websites for research, create a Microsoft Power Point Presentation summarizing each candidate’s plan on that particular issue. The following are a list of the Presidential candidates and their websites.

John McCain www.johnmccain.com

Barack Obama www.barackobama.com

Charles Baldwin www.baldwin08.com

Mr. Barnabas’ Magnificent A+ Election Day WEB QUEST!

Bob Barr www.bobbarr2008.com

Cynthia McKinney www.votetruth08.com

Ralph Nader www.votenader.org TASK 4. Using these voting history Websites, demonstrate to Kingston the importance of voting. Chose seven important dates in the history of voting and elections in the United States and create a timeline using Microsoft Excel. (See the example timeline I made “Momentous Political Events in Mr. Barnabas’ Memory” for a basic of idea of what this should look like.) ACLU Voting Rights Act Timeline http://www.aclu.org/votingrights/gen/12999res20050304.html Procon.org Electronic Voting Machines and Related Voting Technology Timeline http://votingmachines.procon.org/viewresource.asp?resourceID=273 A History of the American Suffragist Movement http://www.suffragist.com/timeline.htm Task 5: Create a brochure using Microsoft Publisher advertising your own candidacy for office. See “Barnabas 4 Mayor” brochure attached. Task 6: Investigate how money influences elections. Create a database using Microsoft Access to keep track of all the contributors from your neighborhood or zip code to a specific candidate. Use the FEC website to see who your neighbors are supporting: http://www.fec.gov/finance/disclosure/advindsea.shtml List neighbor’s name or the company that made the political contribution, what candidate or party they gave their money to, and the dollar amount (if available). Task 7 If your friend Kingston is still not convinced he should vote, then it is time to pull out the big guns. Go to: http://www.cnnbcvideo.com/taf.html?hp=1 and customize a news story that shows the outcome of the election if your pal doesn’t vote. Then send him the email. This one is a lot of fun!